College students call for the elimination of AIDS discrimination. Photo by Meng Delong

Hundreds of college students put on giant "red ribbons". Photo by Meng Delong

China News Service, Nanjing, December 1 (Reporter Cui Jiaming) December 1 is the "World AIDS Day". Hundreds of college students in Yangzhou publicized AIDS prevention knowledge by placing large "red ribbon" patterns, making and distributing red ribbons, wearing masks with red ribbons, etc., and called on the whole society to eliminate discrimination and care for AIDS patients.

College students call for the elimination of AIDS discrimination. Photo by Meng Delong

College students display red ribbons with the anti-AIDS symbol. Photo by Meng Delong

The reporter learned from the local Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today that the city's AIDS epidemic is still at a low prevalence, with three characteristics: first, the epidemic is rising rapidly, with an average annual increase of 30% in new reported cases since 2004; second, most of the patients are young adults with professional occupations Mainly workers and farmers, the main route of infection is sexual (more than 90%), and male patients account for a large proportion (more than 85%); third, due to the increase in the number of sexually transmitted diseases, the flow of infected people, and the influence of a large floating population, the epidemic has spread from high-risk groups to the general population and families.

　College students display the red ribbon with the anti-AIDS symbol. Photo by Meng Delong

College students wear masks with red ribbons on them. Photo by Meng Delong

At present, Yangzhou has established 5 AIDS designated hospitals, 7 HIV/AIDS STD monitoring sentinel sites, 24 resource consultation and testing clinics, 32 AIDS screening and testing laboratories and 1 AIDS confirmation laboratory (screening and testing center). (End)