At least one baby in Bermuda has the AIDS virus, Chief Medical Officer John Cann said yesterday.

"It is unusual because Bermuda has not had a significant number of babies who have tested HIV positive,'' he added.

Dr. Cann, speaking on the eve of World AIDS Day, said the baby's progress was being followed closely.

The Royal Gazette understands one other baby was also born with the AIDS virus. But Dr. Cann last night could not confirm this when contacted at home.

"I do not have all the statistics before me,'' he said.

Meanwhile, Bermuda yesterday was urged not to ease up in the fight against AIDS, even though the rate of new cases had slowed.

Dr. Cann and Health Minister Harry Soares drove home this message after studying latest AIDS figures.

"I'm very worried about complacency. We've got to redouble our efforts to avoid that,'' said Mr. Soares.

Statistics show 366 people have contracted Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) since 1982. And, of that number, 298 have died.

Last year there were 48 reported cases of AIDS and 26 of HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus).

For 1994, 44 cases of AIDS were confirmed locally, an increase of one-third over 1993's figure of 33.

Yesterday Dr. Cann accepted the rate of new AIDS cases had declined or reached a plateau and new drugs to treat sufferers were more effective than expected.

But he added: "While there is some improvement in the situation, we still have a significant number of cases for a population of this size and the impact of AIDS is devastating.

"Looking at figures is no longer the relevant issue, in my opinion. What is important is that we have a significant problem, and we know about it.

"Slight improvements are to be acknowledged, but they should not lead us to believe we have licked the problem.

"We still have people coming to us infected, and that to me is the only yardstick to use. As long as people engage in unsafe sex there are going to be problems.'' `Safe sex' ads meeting with some success Dr. Cann reckoned the anti-AIDS drive, featuring "safe sex'' advertising, had met with some success.

"The message has gotten through, although it has to be an ongoing and continuous message. AIDS is no different in this regard to diabetes, where we need continuous reinforcement of the message.'' Dr. Cann said one of the keys was winning over the young.

"My approach has always been that we have to focus on young people and teach them how to make decisions and choices.

"We have to give people yardsticks and values. This is far more important than inundating them with facts about AIDS and pregnancies.'' Dr. Cann believed Bermuda was already on this path.

"I think our whole approach in the Health Department is to work with children and help them make intelligent decisions. It does take time.

"We actually play a minor role. There has to be an entire community effort against AIDS.'' He added: "On a positive note, we've really expanded our knowledge on how to prevent the spread of AIDS from mothers to infants.

"We also have a combination of drugs which are more effective than we thought they would be.

"We've improved the quality of life for AIDS patients, too. We've reached a turning point and there is certainly some hope -- more than we had say two years ago.'' Dr. Cann believed a stigma was still attached to AIDS sufferers. But this was on the decline.

Former basketball star "Magic'' Johnson, who has HIV, had also noticed a change in public attitudes, according to Press reports, said Dr. Cann.

"I think there has been a subtle, slow change, and hopefully that will continue,'' said Dr. Cann.

"We are continuing to work on care and support programmes in terms of prevention, and we will focus efforts on working with the Department of Education to ensure children make intelligent decisions.'' Mr. Soares was also confident the anti-AIDS campaign was paying off.

"My personal observation is this. When I speak to young people I find they are fully aware about AIDS and say to me `hey, there is no way I'm going to catch the big A'.

"It seems like the penny is dropping, but it worries me people will become complacent.

"Some people find some of the advertising about using your condoms offensive, but it sure seems to grab the imagination.'' Today Bermuda starts a series of World's AIDS Day events with a proclamation ceremony on the steps of City Hall at noon. At 2 p.m. there will be planting of the "Tree of Life'' in the Botanical Gardens at the front of Camden House.