Posted: Thursday, July 30, 2009 11:05 am
 
According to data from the STD / AIDS Program survey, false beliefs persist in the population about how AIDS spreads. The survey was conducted among 609 young people between 15 and 24 from different areas of the country. 95% of the population identifies sex as the main way AIDS spreads, 25% believe that a mosquito bite may also spread the disease and 18% see a danger in sharing mate. 47% would not send their children to a school where there is an HIV carrier and 46% would keep it a secret if a family member were infected.

Over the past ten years, the number of infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and AIDS has increased from 610 to 883 cases per year. Montevideo and Maldonado, followed by Rocha, Artigas and Rivera, are the departments that have the highest rates. 68% of those infected contracted the virus via sexual contact. Blood transfers account for 19% of cases while vertical transfers (from mother to child) account for 2.5%. Men account for 65.5% of all cases. (180, 30 July 2009)