Red ribbons will be sprouting on lapels Tuesday around Pittsburgh for World AIDS Day. But raising awareness of the effects of the disease is a bigger job than a little pin.

A 2007 report by the state Department of Health compiled the numbers that reveal the extent of the disease among people in the Pittsburgh region: Allegheny County has 3,649 people who have been reported as diagnosed with HIV or AIDS. Of that group, 1,476 have died.

HIV testing is recommended for any sexually active person, since the virus is spread through the exchange of bodily fluids. Intravenous drug use also puts a person at risk. It's estimated that 20 percent of people with HIV do not know they are infected.

Although only 13 percent of the county's population is African-American, 39 percent in the county living with HIV/AIDS are black.

Twenty percent of people living with HIV/AIDS are women, 18 percent contracted the virus through heterosexual contact and 24 percent are younger than 30.

Educational and fundraising events, a memorial service and free HIV testing are among the activities planned. Red ribbons will be handed out at Downtown and East End Starbucks cafes on Tuesday.

East Liberty: Free HIV testing, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force, 5913 Penn Ave., East Liberty.

Downtown: Free HIV testing, medical van, corner of Fourth Avenue and Grant Street, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; mayor's press conference, 10 a.m., City-County Building. For more information on HIV testing, call the Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force at 412-345-7456.

Carnegie Mellon University: Quilt panel display, second floor, University Center, all day; free HIV screening, Student Health Services, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; condom distribution, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Doherty Hall; "Speak Your Mind," program on county's needle exchange program, 5 p.m. Call 412-268-9510.

McKeesport: Free cookout, HIV screening and information materials, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Mon Yough Community Services, 500 Walnut St. Call 412-829-7112.

Point Breeze: Information, HIV awareness, community event, 1 to 4 p.m., Mon Yough Community Services.

Oakland: Red Ribbon Gala, including black-tie reception, silent auction, dinner, special observance, music, 7 p.m., Twentieth Century Club, 4201 Bigelow Blvd. Benefit for Educating Teens about HIV/AIDS. Call 412-973-9524.

Interfaith memorial service, 7 p.m., Heinz Chapel, University of Pittsburgh; reception, Community of Reconciliation, 100 N. Bellefield Ave. Call 412-383-1676.

Center, Beaver County: Fundraiser through Project Hope: "Cheeseburger Cheeseburger," 101 Wagner Road. Fifteen percent of sales with flier donated. Call 724-581-6825.

University of Pittsburgh: "International Discourse to Promote AIDS Awareness," 8 p.m. ballroom, William Pitt Union. E-mail pittsgap@gmail.com.

Looking for more from the Post-Gazette? Join PG+, our members-only web site. You'll get exclusive sports content, opinion, financial information, discounts from retailers and restaurants, and more. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.