WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — As part of National HIV Testing Day, Planned Parenthood is offering free HIV tests.
HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. There is no cure for HIV, which weakens people’s immune systems. HIV is most commonly transmitted through sex or through syringes.
The disease has claimed the lives of about 700,000 Americans since 1981.
In the past 20 years, infections and deaths have fallen dramatically thanks to awareness and new treatments.
However, new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows Florida now leads the nation in the number of new HIV cases.
Planned Parenthood says over the last year many health care providers saw a decrease in the number of patients getting testing for HIV and sexually transmitted infections due to COVID-19.
