Health District commemorates World AIDS Day, Dec. 1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 26, 2014

LAS VEGAS – The annual World AIDS Day is Mon., Dec. 1. In commemoration, the Southern Nevada Health District and its community partners will observe the occasion with free testing at several locations on Mon. Dec. 1. For more information, contact the Southern Nevada Health District Sexual Health Clinic (702) 759-0702 or visit www.SNHD.INFO for additional testing sites.

In Clark County, more than 9,000 Southern Nevadans have been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS with more than 3,000 deaths from the illness since 1992. More than 3,500 Southern Nevadans are living with HIV and there are more than 2,800 AIDS cases locally. A study by UNAIDS, a joint United Nations program on HIV/AIDS, noted that approximately 33 million people worldwide are living with HIV.

The health district’s Sexual Health Clinic will offer free rapid HIV testing at the following locations on Mon. Dec. 1:

Commemorative activities at the Gay & Lesbian Center of Southern Nevada include a welcome reception at 5:30 p.m. followed by a panel discussion, an inspirational service, a candlelight vigil, and a screening of the film, The Normal Heart at 9 p.m. In addition, visitors can view pieces of the Names Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, Mon. Dec. 1.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 1.1 million people over the age of 13 are living with HIV infection in the United States. There are approximately 50,000 new HIV infections each year, a number that has remained stable since the mid-1990s. Several years ago, the CDC recommended that voluntary HIV testing become routine for patients between the ages of 13 and 64.

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.