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Suburbsaren t immune toBy PATRICIA BRISKEAlthough the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) virus may seem to be the province of big cities like Chicago, suburbanites should not consider themselves out of the virus’ reach.Not by any means.Officials with the Cook County Department of Public Health said Tuesday that 89 cases of AIDS have beenreported in the south and southwest districts of the county since 1983.“There’s no evidence the figures are going down,’’ said Dr. Ralph Cordell, communicable disease director. “But the statistics show what’s past. The mean is eight years between contracting the virus and exhibiting symptoms,” he said.In the south suburbs alone, only two cases of AIDS were reported in1983. But by 1987 and 1988, 18 cases had been reported each year. Records now show 61 cases have been reported in the south suburban area since reporting began.The southwest suburban area did not show any sign of the virus until1984, when four cases were reported. In 1986 and 1987, six cases were reported each year. To date, the area has 28 cases of AIDS on record.Cordell predicted that the virus is likely to increase among women, blacks, and intravenous drug users, although the number of cases among the gay population is likely to decrease.“There is a pool of infection here,” said Sherry Weingart, AIDS program administrator. “The only way to stop it is not vaccination or finding a curedeadlybut education through prevention and control strategy.”Weingart said Cook County health officials are concentrating on offering free testing and counseling, and on working with community-based organizations such as the Markham Youth Committee and the Ford Heights-based FUTURE Foundation, The Markham Youth Committee is using its $2,500 health departmentgrant to offer an overnight conference for teens that will offer discussion on AIDS, teen sexuality and substance abuse.The FUTURE Foundation’s $4,922grant has gone to developing educational workshops for block clubs,building a culturally-sensitive filmlibrary on the topic, mass-mailing brochures to residents, and making(Please turn to Page A-2)
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Worth Star
Worth, Illinois, US
Thu, Nov 23, 1989
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