A.I.D.S. cases ‘not surprising’

Press, 5 March 1988, Page 9

A.I.D.S. cases ‘not surprising’

PA Wellington The recent rise in the number of New Zealanders with A.I.D.S. was not surprising, says the Health Department's chief health officer, Dr Karen Poutasi, yesterday.

1 She was responding to a report this week that the number of New Zealanders with ’ full-blown A.I.D.S. rose 22 per cent since last November, from 58 to 71. |

The figures showed an increase, with 17 cases reported in 1986 compared with 32 in 1987, but this was following a trend the department expected, based on overseas evidence.

“We have to be very careful about what a sudden increase might mean ... the figures depend

{very much on when ’people report cases as .distinct from when cases occur,” she said. I “There has been an inI crease but it is not surprising given overseas data.” Of the 71 cases of fullblown A.1.D.5., ;34 have died, six have gone overseas and 28 are still living. The status of the j other three cases is not I known.

Seventy of those have been male and one female.

There have ;been 323 positive A.I.D.S,’ antibody tests notified to the Health Department up to the end of January, with 11 of those tests in women. A.I.D.S. needs to be notified to the department only at its I full-blown stage. !