More than 75,000 people are currently living with HIV/AIDS in Canada and 21 percent have the virus but don’t even know it.
As National AIDS Awareness Week comes to a close, the global figures are even more staggering with 37 million people living with the virus and more than half are in Africa.
AIDS Moncton executive director Debby Warren says there are good drug treatments available but a cure needs to be found.
Warren says there is some hope with 5,000 patients starting a new trial of a vaccine this week in South Africa.
Warren says if HIV patients have stability in their lives, a good support system and access to drug treatments, the virus is almost undetectable.
She believes everyone should be tested for HIV at some point in their lives especially those who engage in risky, unprotected sex.
