National HIV Testing Day slated for Saturday
The Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health urges Nevadans to “Start Talking. Stop HIV.” Knowing your status is important, and testing is quick and easy. Free HIV testing is available in Carson City and Reno.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, too many people are unaware they have human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In the United States, nearly 1.2 million people are living with HIV, and almost one in seven (14 percent) do not know they are infected. In 2014 in Nevada, there were 420 new HIV diagnoses and more than 9,831 persons living with HIV/AIDS.
The most common ways HIV is transmitted in the United States is by having sex or sharing drug injection equipment with a person infected with HIV. This behavior increases one’s risk, and these individuals should be tested for HIV at least once a year. However, everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 should be tested at least once in their lifetime.
Getting tested is the first step to finding out if you have HIV. If you have HIV, medical care and medications help you live a longer, healthier life and decreases the chance of passing HIV to others.
FREE TESTING LOCATIONS
Carson City Health and Human Services, Monday – Wednesday, Friday 8:30 am to 12:00 pm, 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Drop in at 900 East Long Street, Carson City. For more information their number is (775) 887-2190.
Reno, Northern Nevada HOPES, Monday – Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Drop in at 467 Ralston Street, Reno or make an appointment by calling (775) 786-4673.
In Las Vegas on June 27, free testing will be available at the following locations: Canyon Ridge Church, 6200 W. Lone Mountain Rd. , from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Gay and Lesbian Center of Southern Nevada, 401 S. Maryland Pkwy., from 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and Nevada Partners, 710 W. Lake Mead Blvd., from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. For additional information on testing locations call (702) 733-9800.
For more information about National HIV Testing Day and general HIV and AIDS facts, please visit http://health.nv.gov/HIVCarePrevention.htm, https://www.aids.gov/news-and-events/awareness-days/hiv-testing-day/, https://gettested.cdc.gov, or www.cdc.gov/hiv. Data for this press release were obtained from the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health’s Fast Facts (2014) and HIV/AIDS Epidemiological Profile Update (2012), available at http://health.nv.gov/HIV_AIDS_SurveillancePgm.htm.
- Carson City
- $12
- ***Press Release***
- Behavioral Health
- carson
- Carson City Health and Human Services
- center
- church
- City
- day
- disease
- Division of Public and Behavioral Health
- drug
- equipment
- Free
- FRIDAY
- Gay
- Health
- Health & Wellness
- help
- information
- Lake
- Lesbian
- life
- live
- Lone Mountain
- long street
- medical
- medical care
- mountain
- Nevada
- new
- Northern Nevada
- NV
- Press Release
- Prevention
- public
- saturday
- Services
- sex
- United States
- virus
- Wednesday
- gay and lesbian
- Las Vegas
- reno