An outbreak of HIV infections in Indiana’s Scott County is raising concerns about the disease in other places, but statistics on infections in other counties so far have not been released by the state.
The Wayne County Health Department can’t release any HIV statistics for 2015 until the Indiana State Department of Health approves the information and posts it, Wayne County health clinic director Kim Flanigan said.
Wayne County’s 2014 HIV numbers were low, with fewer than five new cases reported last year. The county had 89 residents living with AIDS, according to the state website.
That might seem reassuring, but Scott County also had fewer than five new cases in 2014, according to the state. It had 21 residents in 2014 living with AIDS, the state report said.
Scott County now has 81 positive HIV cases, including 74 confirmed cases and seven preliminary cases, all linked to intravenous drug use.
Wayne County Health Department executive director Eric Coulter said this recent AIDS outbreak in southern Indiana is a reminder of the need for public health services.
“With the success that they’ve had in treating HIV infections, the public took it for granted that this was under control,” Coulter said.