Death toll falls in US for first time

Death toll falls in US for first time

Giving fresh hope in the battle against Aids, the numbers of deaths from the disease fell significantly in the US during the first half of 1996. This is the first fall since the disease was first detected in 1981.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta reported that deaths from Aids fell by roughly 12 per cent over the six-month period. The decline was registered in all regions of the country, although its extent varied between different ethnic groups. Deaths among whites fell by 21 per cent, for example, but only by 2 per cent among African Americans.

The drop, which compared with a startling 30 per cent decline recently reported by New York City for the whole of 1996, was attributed to various factors, including the recent introduction of promising new drugs called protease inhibitors. Experts also cited improved Aids awareness programmes and improved access to care for sufferers of the disease.

President Bill Clinton welcomed the figures, but added: "It is also clear that the Aids epidemic is not over". David Usborne, New York