Nevada ranks 5th in U.S. for HIV cases, alarming numbers call for summit

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Nevada ranks fifth within the nation for the variety of folks testing constructive for HIV.

A prevention summit is underway in Las Vegas to assist make clear the rising variety of instances.

“Any quantity is alarming, even one quantity could make a distinction,” mentioned Dr. Leana Ramirez at The Heart, serving the LGBTQ neighborhood of Nevada.

Dr. Ramirez says within the firs two months of this yr, The Heart noticed 4 folks check constructive for HIV. She says the variety of folks yearly right here in southern Nevada who’re testing constructive, is conserving the valley consultants on excessive alert.

“The truth that Las Vegas is a really transient city, now we have to handle not solely our inhabitants,” she mentioned. “However now we have to handle the individuals who go to us.”

Simply final yr, Dr. Ramirez says The Heart examined greater than 10,000 folks. Inside that inhabitants, greater than 100 examined constructive for HIV.

“A lot of the transmissions are by individuals who do not know their standing, or do not understand that they’ve HIV,” she mentioned.

Nevada’s rating for HIV instances makes up practically 17% of HIV infections nationwide in accordance with the U.S. Census Bureau, and up to date information on the burden of HIV within the U.S. exhibits 48 nations have greater than 50% of latest HIV diagnoses.

Clark County is listed amongst them.

“The numbers are pretty regular,” mentioned Terrell Parker, venture supervisor of the Nationwide Minority Aids Council. “We don’t make as huge of an impression as we want.”

Parker says the alarming developments and numbers in Clark County spotlight the wants for a Biomedical HIV Prevention Summit within the valley. This offers extra details about therapy and prevention to native well being consultants and to assist them reply a significant query, “how will we finish the HIV epidemic in our neighborhood?”

“As a result of it appears to be like completely different in each neighborhood, the HIV epidemic appears to be like completely different in each neighborhood, stigma appears to be like completely different, and politics look completely different,” he mentioned. Parker is HIV constructive himself, he says he understands the stigma that surrounds the illness.

Dr. Ramirez says she is doing her half to raised educate the Las Vegas neighborhood.

“Not stigmatizing intercourse, not stigmatizing therapy for intercourse, not stigmatizing HIV and different ailments,” she mentioned. “We have to normalize this extra in our well being care science.”