National Latino AIDS Awareness Day highlights urgent need for action

Testing available October 18 at Community Health Fair

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 14, 2025

LAS VEGAS –The Southern Nevada Health District will observe National Latino AIDS Awareness Day on Wednesday, October 15, spotlighting the disproportionate impact of HIV on Hispanic/Latino communities and promoting prevention, testing, treatment and strategies to interrupt transmission.

HIV testing at Big Oh Community Health Fair

In observance of National Latino AIDS Awareness Day, the 15th Annual Big Oh Community Health Fair is scheduled from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. on Saturday, October 18, at the East Las Vegas Community Center, 250 N. Eastern Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89101. Free and open to the public, the event will include rapid HIV testing and free tacos for anyone who gets an onsite test. There will also be rapid hepatitis C testing, free health services, vendors and entertainment. The Health Fair is sponsored by the Southern Nevada Health Consortium, Anthem Medicaid and CAN Community Health.

“Our recognition of National Latino AIDS Awareness Day is a vital reminder that HIV continues to exact a disproportionate toll in communities,” said Dr. Cassius Lockett, District Health Officer for the Health District. “We must intensify our efforts to provide accessible testing, early treatment, stigma reduction, and community partnerships – so that every person, regardless of background, can access prevention and care.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1.2 million people in the United States are living with HIV, and 13% are unaware of their status. In 2022, there were approximately 31,800 new HIV infections nationwide; 33% (about 10,500) were among Hispanic/Latino individuals.

In Clark County, there were 552 new HIV diagnoses in 2024, up from 508 in 2023, with 23% (116) among Hispanic residents. At the end of 2023, of the 12,000 people living with HIV in Clark County, 3,683 were Hispanic.

The national data underscore persistent disparities:

Hispanic/Latino men bear a disproportionate burden: in 2022, they accounted for 9,374 of the 37,981 new HIV diagnoses in the United States (nearly one out of four).
The rate of new HIV infections among Hispanic/Latino men is nearly three times that of White men.
Hispanic/Latino women also face stark disparities: in 2022, there were 1,261 new HIV diagnoses among Hispanic/Latino women (about 3% of all new diagnoses), and their rate of new infection was over four times that of White women.

Year-round HIV testing is readily available in Southern Nevada:

The Health District offers express testing at no cost from 7:30 a.m.–4 p.m. Monday through Thursday at the Southern Nevada Health District Main Public Health Center, 280 S. Decatur Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89107. No-cost express testing is also available at the Fremont Public Health Center, 2830 E. Fremont St., Las Vegas, NV 89104, from 7:30 a.m.–4 p.m. each Friday. No appointments are needed, but clients must be asymptomatic.
HIV testing is available at no cost at the Arleen Cooper Community Health Center at The Center, 401 S. Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89101. Hours are 9 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m.–2 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Appointments are preferred, but walk-ins are accepted.
The Health District’s Collect2Protect program offers free at-home HIV tests, giving people a convenient and private option for testing. The kits can be requested through the Collect2Protect page.

Same-day HIV testing and treatment services are also available in the Southern Nevada Community Health Center and at the Fremont Public Health Center. HIV services include testing, medical, behavioral health, nutrition, case management, pharmaceutical, and educational services, including PEP and PrEP navigation and treatment for those who test negative. Services are offered for insured and uninsured patients. Sliding fee scale discounts are available to all patients who qualify.

For more information about National Latino AIDS Awareness Day, visit National Latino AIDS Awareness Day 2025.

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.