Mayor Jon Mitchel was among the speakers as New Bedford marked World AIDS Day.

The vigil outside the downtown library stressed education and awareness of the deadly virus, and was followed by a candlelight procession to the United Methodist Church on Union street.

The mayor said advances in medicine have helped extend the lives of people living with HIV and AIDS, but the fight is far from over.

About 35 million people currently live with HIV, with only 37% having access to medication needed to repress it. AIDS has killed 40 million people in the past 30 years, with 1.5 million deaths in 2013.

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