In Canada there are roughly 71,300 people living with HIV and approximately 25 % are unaware they have it.
Julie Dingwell is the Executive Director of AIDS Saint John, she says a new initiative called the Red Scarf Campaign is encouraging people in New Brunswick to talk about the disease.
Dingwell says poverty makes people vulnerable and calls it one of the driving factors behind the increasing number of cases of AIDS in the country.
She calls the campaign a very visual way to encourage people to talk about the disease.
Dingwell hopes the community will show their support by coming out tomorrow for World AIDS day to wear their scarf in support of those suffering in Canada and worldwide.
The red scarf is a symbolic representation of the red ribbon used to represent those lost to, and still affected by HIV/AIDS.
