Incidence of AIDS in Europe stabilizing
The European Commission has published a report which shows that the incidence of AIDS in Europe is stabilizing overall, with the exception of Spain, Italy and Portugal. The report was funded by the Europe Against AIDS programme, which will run until 2000. The report was completed by the European Centre for the Epidemiological Monitoring of AIDS, funded by the EC under the Europe Against AIDS programme. Some 17,778 new cases were reported between January and September 1996, bringing the total number of cases in Europe to 167,021. The incidence of AIDS in Europe seems to have stabilized overall, thanks to joint initiatives at both national and Community level. However, this masks big differences between Member States in Europe, with particularly high rates in Spain, Portugal and Italy, where AIDS is chiefly associated with intravenous drug use. The Europe Against AIDS programme has supported 134 transnational cooperation projects in the following areas of HIV/AIDS prevention: - Collection of epidemiological data on HIV/AIDS; - Knowledge of attitudes and behaviour, information campaigns, awareness-raising campaigns; - Education of children and young persons; - Prevention of HIV transmission among the most at-risk groups; - Social and psychological support, and combating of discrimination.