Australian Red Cross Appeals for AIDS Funding, Says Asia-Pacific May Surpass Sub-Saharan Africa as Hardest-Hit Region

The Australian Red Cross is calling for funds to fight HIV/AIDS in the Asia-Pacific region, saying that the region may become the worst affected in the world because of population densities in countries like China and Indonesia, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reports. In a fundraising message, the Red Cross states that if HIV continues at its current rate, humans may become "the most endangered species" by 2040. Red Cross Secretary-General Martine Letts said Australians "are not free from the threat of the epidemic, given the proximity of a number of the countries where these problems are very high. And it's not just a question of people becoming infected, it's also a security issue" (Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 10/1).