News with De La Cruz

US–Researchers in the U.S. say they’ve traced the arrival of HIV back to 1969 and a Haitian immigrant. Previously, an airline steward, seen in this photo, identified as ‘patient zero,’ was named as the initial carrier in the United States. The US National Academy of Sciences made the latest discovery by examining blood samples from five early patients, all Haitian immigrants to the United States, all predate the 1981 discovery or recognition of the syndrome which was known early on as “Gay Cancer.” From 1969 until 1981, HIV utterly confounded the medical community. Scientists say the first carrier was an African immigrant to Haiti, who then immigrated to the U.S. via Miami or New York.

Doctors hope the original source of HIV could help find a cure.