I would agree with those numbers, although expressing it as a percentage of the total population in the 2 cities is probably downplaying the problem to a significant extent...
There are probably many more cases not reported, for various reasons...
For example, let's say 50% are adults - 750,000 in Montreal, i.e. age 16 and above. We don't know the population by age groups, but it is reasonable to assume that the majority of married adults over age 30 or so are not sexually active outside their marriage arrangements. The disease is most likely to involve younger sexually active singles in the 16 - 30 age bracket, for the most part...with a much smaller incidence in the older singles population.
This is all pure speculation on my part, which I hate to do and I wish there were some better stats available behind the incidence numbers...but I guess what I'm trying to say is that the incidence amongst sexually active singles
in each city could well be more like 10-20%
I would hope not, BUT expressing it as a percentage ot the ENTIRE population tends to trivialize what is likely a more serious problem!
In any event, it is certainly a strong argument for safe protected sex at all times by everyone involved with multiple partners, to minimize the odds of being a statistic!
