"Rise of AIDS Among Blacks Cause Alarm"

"Rise of AIDS Among Blacks Cause Alarm"

In 1989, the city of Toronto reported an increase of 38% of AIDS cases among the Black population in only 3 months. This came after the city became the first jurisdiction that began recording cases according to race seven months prior, after the COMBAT (Community Organizations Mutually Battling AIDS Together) urged them. Even more alarmingly, 20% of those infected were women, alarming not only Black community leaders but also Toronto public health officials as infected women could pass down HIV to children during pregnancy, placing future generations at greater risk. This also sparked shock within communities as AIDS was widely known as only spreading between gay men. In general, the Black Toronto population became the most rapidly growing category being tracked by the department of public health at the time. Still, however, with many being uneducated on the illness and believing it could never reach them, the number of infected was most likely higher than presented, and does not even account for cases prior to 1988.

Maureen Murray

Murray, Maureen. “Rise of AIDS among blacks causes alarm.” The Toronto Star, July 26, 1989, A1.

The Toronto Star

July 26 1989

The Toronto Star

Newspaper