The country’s AIDS Epidemiology Group says the sharpest decline was among heterosexual men and women. Although new infections among the country’s men who have sex with men are also lower than they were in 2006, the article notes that officials remain concerned.
“Though we are pleased there has not been an increase, it is unfortunate that we have not seen a further reduction this year,” says Eamonn Smythe, executive director of the New Zealand AIDS Foundation. "These numbers are still equivalent to one new diagnosis every five days."
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Beth Benne, RN, is HIV negative, but
the virus has impacted her life. She currently supervises a biannual HIV/AIDS awareness week as
the director of the student health center at Pierce College, a
community commuter school in Woodland Hills, California.
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Overheard in the Women's Forum
"I recently met a guy who is negative. I did tell him about my status and he decided to kiss me anyway (we didn't go further than that). But a day later, he called and said that he actually had a mouth ulcer that time when we kissed and he was very worried. Asked if he can get the virus from me that way. For that moment, I felt so insulted and yet I felt so bad. It was my first time having a contact with a "negative" guy."
