New York City Syphilis Cases Up 90% Over Last Year, Mayor’s Report States
For the 12-month period ending July 1, there were 357 cases of syphilis recorded in New York City, a 90% increase over the prior 12-month period, according to the latest edition of the Mayor's Management Report, the Long Island Newsday reports. Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden said that the rise in syphilis cases began prior to Sept. 11, 2001, due to an increased incidence of unprotected sex, particularly among gay men, and was parallel with national trends. He added, "We are working intensively with community groups to address the high-risk behaviors which are of concern not only for syphilis but for HIV." Since 1999, the annual number of new AIDS cases in New York City has plateaued at about 6,000 cases, Frieden said. However, AIDS activists noted that while the overall number of new cases is not increasing, the proportion of minorities with AIDS is increasing. About 76% of the 48,145 New York City residents with AIDS are minorities, according to the city's surveillance program (Ramirez/Janison, Long Island Newsday, 9/25).
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