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Spike in confirmed HIV cases in Kenora
Le Téléjournal Ontario
Celine Martin
2023-01-05| Update yesterday at 5:49 p.m.
A dramatic increase in HIV cases is hitting the city of Kenora in northwestern Ontario.
In a press release, the North West Health Unit confirms that nine cases were reported last year in this city of approximately 15,000 inhabitants.
Only eight confirmed cases had been reported in total between 2013 and 2021, according to the press release.
Dr. Jonny Grek , a family doctor who practices in the field, speaks instead of 16 cases, all detected within a vulnerable population, drug users and sex workers, mostly homeless.
Dr. Grek and the Northwestern Health Unit's Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Kit Young Hoon , explain why there is such a discrepancy between the numbers they present.
To get her numbers, Dr. Grek relied on the number of positive cases detected by rapid tests, while Dr. Hoon got hers by following provincial standards [which] only report confirmed HIV cases .
...
“ Unfortunately, we believe these numbers will continue to rise, especially among this [vulnerable] population. »
— A quote from Dr. Jonny Grek, Family Physician in Kenora
Regardless of the figures, says Dr. Hoon, the most important thing, according to her, is to confirm this significant increase in cases in order to advise the public of the increased risks to which they may be exposed.
...
Several reasons could be behind this sudden rise in cases.
Needle sharing is one of them, according to the two doctors.
Dr. Grek also mentions the contamination of drugs circulating in Kenora, in particular with fentanyl.
This would further affect the judgment and state of mind of individuals who use, he argues. They no longer think about ways to keep themselves safe.
As for Dr. Hoon , she hypothesizes that some key needle distribution programs did not reach the vulnerable population during the pandemic. Some individuals would therefore have been more likely to share needles .
Furthermore, she believes that the pandemic has exacerbated the problem, as a lot of resources have had to be allocated to the management of this health crisis.
“ Another impact of the need to focus on the pandemic is that there was less opportunity to put it on other diseases, as we might have done before COVID. »
...
Spike in confirmed HIV cases in Kenora
Le Téléjournal Ontario
Celine Martin
2023-01-05| Update yesterday at 5:49 p.m.
A dramatic increase in HIV cases is hitting the city of Kenora in northwestern Ontario.
In a press release, the North West Health Unit confirms that nine cases were reported last year in this city of approximately 15,000 inhabitants.
Only eight confirmed cases had been reported in total between 2013 and 2021, according to the press release.
Dr. Jonny Grek , a family doctor who practices in the field, speaks instead of 16 cases, all detected within a vulnerable population, drug users and sex workers, mostly homeless.
Dr. Grek and the Northwestern Health Unit's Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Kit Young Hoon , explain why there is such a discrepancy between the numbers they present.
To get her numbers, Dr. Grek relied on the number of positive cases detected by rapid tests, while Dr. Hoon got hers by following provincial standards [which] only report confirmed HIV cases .
...
“ Unfortunately, we believe these numbers will continue to rise, especially among this [vulnerable] population. »
— A quote from Dr. Jonny Grek, Family Physician in Kenora
Regardless of the figures, says Dr. Hoon, the most important thing, according to her, is to confirm this significant increase in cases in order to advise the public of the increased risks to which they may be exposed.
...
Several reasons could be behind this sudden rise in cases.
Needle sharing is one of them, according to the two doctors.
Dr. Grek also mentions the contamination of drugs circulating in Kenora, in particular with fentanyl.
This would further affect the judgment and state of mind of individuals who use, he argues. They no longer think about ways to keep themselves safe.
As for Dr. Hoon , she hypothesizes that some key needle distribution programs did not reach the vulnerable population during the pandemic. Some individuals would therefore have been more likely to share needles .
Furthermore, she believes that the pandemic has exacerbated the problem, as a lot of resources have had to be allocated to the management of this health crisis.
“ Another impact of the need to focus on the pandemic is that there was less opportunity to put it on other diseases, as we might have done before COVID. »
...