Two citizens of Toronto are newly infected with HIV/AIDS every day, and one in 120 Torontonians is living with HIV, according to a new report released by Casey House to coincide with World AIDS Day.
The report also found that the number of Ontarians with HIV/AIDS increased by 31 percent between 2003 and 2008 and continues to rise.
The report notes there is an urgent HIV/AIDS crisis in Toronto, finding that young people under 30 account for 25 percent of new infections.
It also found that rates of infection are increasing among women, within the aboriginal community and among new Canadians. The majority of those with HIV/AIDS in Ontario continue to be gay men.
While the authors say access to treatment has improved, they also note a new trend, the “greying of AIDS,” which will see half the HIV-positive population of Ontario older than 50 by 2015.
“We’re seeing that as people age with HIV/AIDS, their healthcare needs frequently escalate and can become very disabling,” said Dr Kevin Gough, co-author of the report and director of infectious diseases at St Michael’s Hospital, in a release.
The report found that stigma and marginalization continue to impede efforts to stop the spread of the disease.
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