HIV rate in D.C. is as high as West Africa

Cases of HIV in Washington D.C. have increased to a "severe" epidemic level of 3% of the population. The infiltration of the AIDS virus into the polulation is considered a booming success by Shannon L. Hader, director of the District's HIV/AIDS Administration, "We have every mode of transmission" -- men having sex with men, heterosexual and injected drug use -- "going up, all on the rise, and we have to deal with them," Hader said. For some unexplained reason they have been unable to infect very many married couples in a monogamous relationship, "This is very, very depressing news, especially considering HIV's profound impact on minority communities,said Anthony Fauci." But she is still hopeful,"...remember: The city's numbers are just based on people who've gotten tested." Apparently talking seems to help, Charlene Cotton, a D.C. resident who got an HIV positive diagnosis five years ago, said breaking the taboo on discussing HIV is the key to moving forward. "You need to start at home and talk about it," Cotton said.
Apparently there were not enough drug addicts in D.C. either, so the city has lifted a ban on the use of local tax dollars for a needle exchange program. You can never have too many heroin needles on hand.
There is good news in the AIDS office's report: More people are getting HIV diagnoses early, while they are still healthy, as a result of a policy of routine testing implemented by the city in mid-2006. Publicly supported HIV testing expanded by 70 percent. The actual spreading of the disease is lagging behind though at a slower rate of 22 percent. But if anyone can find a way to speed it up, it's Washington.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/14/AR2009031402176_pf.html