Bermuda will join the rest of the world in observing World AIDS Day tomorrow, and the latest statistics show a continued steady decline in the number of cases on the Island.

This year, 12 new cases of AIDS were reported compared to the all time high in 1995 of 48 new cases.

Last year, 19 new cases were reported, and there were 11 deaths.

The number of deaths also fell this year after nine people died from the disease, compared to the high of 36 in 1993.

Health Minister Nelson Bascome said last night: "Yes our numbers do look healthy, especially compared to the Caribbean, but we have to specify to Bermudians that AIDS is an epidemic and we have to be diligent in supporting those that are afflicted and go on assisting Bermudians in their efforts against AIDS.'' Of the 12 new cases reported this year, nine were black males, and three were black females.

Two cases were the result of intravenous drug use, three cases resulted from homosexual and bisexual activity, and the remaining seven cases resulted from heterosexual behaviour.

Since reporting began in the early 1980s in Bermuda, 449 cases of AIDS have been reported with 356 deaths.

Of the 449 cases, intravenous drug use accounts for 40 percent of cases, homosexual and bisexual behaviour accounts for 29 percent of cases, and heterosexual activity accounts for 25 percent of cases, and six percent of cases are attributable to other factors.

Despite the fall in AIDS cases, Government health officials were quick to warn that this was no reason for the public to become complacent. They warned that although new AIDS drugs and therapies were helping to promote a better quality of life for those who were affected, abstinence, mutual fidelity and condom-use all helped to prevent infection.

"Men make A difference'' is the title of this year's United Nations AIDS campaign and the UN hopes that communities will focus on the role of men in the AIDS epidemic by involving men more fully in the effort against AIDS.

This years topic is very relevant to Bermuda in light of the Island's statistics, which show that 76 percent of the total reported AIDS cases were men.

The campaign has three broad goals; to raise awareness of the relationship between men's behaviour and HIV, to encourage men and adolescent boys to make a strong commitment to preventing the spread of HIV and caring for those affected, and to promote programmes that respond to the needs of both men and women.

According to recent world figures released by the UN at the end of 2000, 36.1 million men, women and children were living with HIV or AIDS and 21.8 million had already died from the disease.

The UN whose previous annual campaigns have focused on families and or children with AIDS, turned their focus to men this year for several reasons.

It believes men's health is important but receives inadequate attention. It also claims that men's behaviour puts themselves and women at risk of HIV, and that unprotected sex between men endangers both men and women.

Men have also been urged to give greater consideration to AIDS as it affects the entire family.