On this day in 1984, Gaëtan Dugas died in Quebec City.
As an HIV patient, he was erroneously vilified and mischaracterized as Patient Zero of the North American AIDS epidemic.
His story has emphasized the importance of accuracy and empathy in public health narratives.
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As an HIV patient, he was erroneously vilified and mischaracterized as Patient Zero of the North American AIDS epidemic.
His story has emphasized the importance of accuracy and empathy in public health narratives.
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Comments
It's a must see if you wish to know more about the "Patient Zero" story that so unjustly vilified him.
I was young gay man living in Vancouver's West End, so moved to remember so many friends we had in common.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2GgbJJz6yo
Described as flamboyant and generous, his family was supportive of him.
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His information helped prove that HIV/AIDS was sexually transmitted.
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By the time that Dugas died in 1984, he had provided invaluable information to researchers in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
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The O was seen as a 0, giving the label of Patient 0 or Patient Zero.
In 2016, Shilts editor expressed his regret for allowing the vilifying of Dugas to spur sales of the book.
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Subsequent studies have found Dugas was not the source of the US outbreak.
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Perhaps in the future(maybe world AIDS Day) you could write about Canada's AIDs memorials. I was a teenager & although many ppl were silent, those memorials spaces helped us remember the friends and family we've lost & find a little hope