From article in post #1:
"Mostly drug users have hepatitis," she says. "And many of them have HIV."
According to the United Nations' UNAIDS program, Russia had the third-highest number of new HIV infections globally in 2015, behind South Africa and Nigeria.
Russian government statistics show that more than half of new infections are transmitted through intravenous drug use. And the rate of infection is rising.
Are you trying to stigmatize Russia or Nigeria and South Africa?
I took a 100 level class in university on sexually transmitted diseases simply out of interest. Not to become an expert on the subject but just to get a little more insight on the subject than I had before. The class was given and lectured by two black Africans, both with doctoral degrees in laboratory science. Both were from black African countries.
To my surprise--and I think it will surprise many Americans--certain cities in the United States have HIV rates that rival Sub Sahara Africa. Cities like
New York City. Warm climate cities that are large tourist destinations also have high HIV rates that rival black African nations HIV rates. Cities like New Orleans and Miami.
Colder climate cities in the Upper Midwest, particularly if they are not big tourist destinations, have much lower HIV rates.
When I first heard this about New York City I have to admit I immediately started perceiving every woman, white, black, Latin, Asian or otherwise (but especially black women) from or in New York City as infected with HIV. But that fear and outlook of mine born from fear subsided after many months. I still remain cognizant that my statistical odds of getting HIV is greater sleeping with a woman from New York City than it is from Milwaukee. And both those cities present a greater risk of contracting HIV than if I slept with a white woman from rural Utah (in which there would be very little odds of getting HIV).
I am happy this article noted the link between hepatitis and HIV among IV drug users. It's the same connection or correlation I learned in that class.
Homosexuals still have a higher rate of HIV infection (in the West at least) than heterosexuals and black homosexual males even far more than white heterosexual males. In Milwaukee close to 50% (40 some odd percent) of black males that have sex with black males (they may not be homosexual) are said statistically to be HIV positive. Ethnic Black-American women have a very high rate of HIV infection relative to other races of women too. If memory serves me correct anyways.
My point here is I would be cautious in attempts to use diseases as a means of stigmatizing whole nations or whole groups of people one dislikes for whatever reason. Because that game can be played many ways and on many different groups of people: such as Black-Americans, homosexuals, and New Yorkers.
The other thing, having a 2nd or 5th or 10th largest increase in the world of rate in X disease does not necessarily tell us a lot. Hypothetically, if 20 more people in South Africa got HIV and South Africa had the largest increase, Nigeria had the second largest increase with 10 people, and Russia came third with 7 new people being diagnosed with HIV then coming in third place sounds more dramatic than what it is.
