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HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS (HIV) AND ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME (AIDS)

Care & Support

Outbreak of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Linked to Injection Drug Use

Since January 2018, the West Virginia Bureau for Public Health (WV BPH) has been monitoring increased diagnoses of HIV across the state, especially among people who inject drugs (PWID). In 2019, Cabell County was the epi center for a large HIV cluster, however, since then, HIV cases have been increasing in other areas of the state (for more information, please see Health Advisory 162: HIV Infections Among People Who Inject Drugs – Additional Area Seeing Increase, Others Vulnerable). Currently, this increase is most significant in Kanawha County.

PWID are often a mobile population and seek services within multiple counties, however, persons newly diagnosed with HIV are reported according to their county of residence at the time of HIV diagnosis.

Statewide HIV case counts will be updated bi-monthly. This will include HIV cases in all WV counties, however, data will be suppressed for counties with 1-4 diagnoses of HIV.

Contact

For more information, call the West Virginia HIV/AIDs & STD Hotline:

1-800-642-8244

Trained professionals are available to speak with you on weekdays (except holidays) from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. to answer questions about HIV/AIDS and other STDs in West Virginia, how to protect yourself, how to be tested, and how to get treatment.