HIV Spreading in NYC at Triple National Rate
A study released this week finds that the virus that causes AIDS is spreading in New York City at three times the rate in the United States. Health officials say New York has long been the epicenter of the U.S. AIDS epidemic because the city is home to sizable populations considered most at-risk for contracting the virus.
New York City’s Department of Health and Human Hygiene said the report is the “most precise estimate yet” of annual infections of the HIV virus in New York City.
The report says in 2006, nearly 4,800 New Yorkers contracted HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. This means there were 72 new infections per 100,000 people. That number is three times higher than the national rate, in which the incidence of new infection is 23 per 100,000 people. Overall, an estimated 100,000 New Yorkers are known to be HIV positive.
Dr. Monica Sweeney, the Health Departments Assistant Commissioner for HIV Prevention and Control, said New York City has long been considered the epicenter of the U.S. epidemic.
