Great strides have been made since the first known cases of AIDS were reported in 1981, but the disease remains a public health challenge, says April Hight, Kent County Public Health Program Supervisor.
“Here In Kent County, we still get about 30-40 new cases of people who are diagnosed with HIV a year so it’s definitely still a thing.”
Human Immunodeficiency Virus or HIV attacks the body's immune system, weakening its ability to fight disease and infection.
Left untreated, the virus can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), resulting in serious illness or even death.
Early detection is vital.
“People who are tested for HIV and it's in the early stage, if they get onto medications, they will never get to the AIDS stage. Their immune system will be fine.”
Mostly spread through unprotected sex or sharing needles, Hight says there are prevention options for those at high risk.
“There is a pill that they can get on that they take once daily that can prevent them from getting HIV. There’s also an injection now – a shot – that they can get twice a month that does the same thing.”
The Kent County Health Department is offering free walk-in HIV testing at its 700 Fuller Ave NE location in Grand Rapids from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, November 27.
