Health District to Participate in National HIV Testing Tour Across America Mobile HIV Testing

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 12, 2010

LAS VEGAS – The Southern Nevada Health District’s office of HIV/AIDS in collaboration with Aid for AIDS of Nevada (AFAN) and the Gay and Lesbian Center of Southern Nevada will provide free rapid testing as part of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s (AHF) second HIV Testing Tour Across America beginning at 8 p.m., Friday, Jan. 15 and concluding at 1 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 16. Testing will held at the Gay and Lesbian Center of Southern Nevada, 933 East Sahara Ave., inside Commercial Center. For additional information, contact the health district’s office of HIV/AIDS, (702) 759-0702 or visit www.SNHD.info, the Gay and Lesbian Center of Southern Nevada, (702) 733-9800 or visit www.thecenterlv.com, or AFAN (702) 382-2326 or www.afanlv.org.

The HIV Testing Tour Across America is a nationwide effort to increase awareness about the importance of HIV testing. This is the tour’s first visit to Southern Nevada. The inaugural tour, the AHF Magic Johnson HIV Testing Caravan, was held in 2009 and included 14 cities.

The Southern Nevada Health District’s office of HIV/AIDS/STDs is located inside Annex A at the health district’s main public health center, 625 Shadow Lane. Services include confidential testing, counseling, case management and referrals. The health district offers several HIV test options, some with same-day results.

The health district encourages everyone in the community to learn their HIV status. Currently, there are more than 6,200 Southern Nevadans living with HIV/AIDS. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends voluntary routine HIV testing for patients aged 13 to 64 to increase early diagnosis for the more than 250,000 Americans who are unaware they are HIV positive. According to the CDC, every 9 ½ minutes someone in the United States is infected with HIV.

Additional recommendations from the CDC include annual testing for individuals who engage in high-risk sexual behavior or use intravenous drugs. Pregnant women should be tested during the early months of their pregnancy to help eliminate transmission of HIV to their infants.

Updated information about the Southern Nevada Health District’s HIV testing efforts can be found on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ez2stop.

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The Southern Nevada Health District serves as the local public health authority for Clark County, Boulder City, Henderson, Las Vegas, Mesquite and North Las Vegas. The agency safeguards the public health of the community’s residents and visitors through innovative programs, regulations, and initiatives focused on protecting and promoting their health and well-being. More information about the Health District, its programs, services, and the regulatory oversight it provides is available at www.SNHD.info. Follow the Health District on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.