WASHINGTON DC (examiner.com) In a report released by the Washington D.C. health department, 3 percent of residents over the age of 12 have HIV or AIDS. Nearly 70 percent of the cases are men, and 76 percent are African American.
D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty, flanked by the city’s top health officials, unvailed a report on the spread of HIV/AIDS in Washington DC – March 17, 2009
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According to the city’s HIV/AIDS Administration director Shannon L. Hader, those numbers, higher than that of San Francisco and Baltimore, are probably an undercount.
Mayor Adrian M. Fenty released the report Monday at a news conference, calling it one of the “most serious problems” facing the capitol.
City officials will work towards more aggressive testing in hopes of controlling the virus.
“Past studies have highlighted the HIV/AIDs problems in the District, but this reports details how individuals are putting themselves at risk for the disease,” said Mayor Fenty.
“These facts serve as a blueprint that allows us to improve how we prevent HIV and better serve people living with the virus.”
The 3 percent rate is in line with several African countries. Africa has been hit hardest by the virus, accounting in 2.5 million deaths in 2005 alone.
Though the situations in Africa and North America seem like polar opposites, the report offers a sobering view of how dire the situation is worldwide.
“I’ll bet half the people in this crowd don’t know their status and you need to tell your partner your status. If you don’t do those things you’re increasing your chances of getting it and that what’s happened,” Mayor Fenty said on Sunday in one interview.