Red Ribbons Mark World AIDS Day

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- People around the world wore red ribbons Wednesday to show their support for World AIDS Day.

Although you don't hear as much about the disease since the peak in the 1980s and 1990s, it is still a big issue.

Slightly more than a million Americans have HIV, but 20 percent of them don't know it.

The good news -- the United Nations says HIV infections dropped by almost 20 percent over the past decade.

According to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control, it looks like more Americans are getting tested for the AIDS virus.

About 45 percent of Americans, ages 18 to 64 years old, got tested at least once last year.

That's a five percent increase in the past four years, meaning 11 million more people got tested.

There are events happening around the Twin Cities to show support for people living with HIV and AIDS.

Starting at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, there is a service at Wesley Church on East Grant Street in Minneapolis.

The Mall of America and the Minnesota AIDS project will host a World AIDS Day Observation. It takes place in the Best Buy Rotunda at 6 p.m.

For more World AIDS day events, click here.