Local health center reports 'drastic' increase in STD, HIV gay disease rates in Hampton Roads

[Save America - Indict Democrats]

NORFOLK, Va. – A local health center is warning people across Hampton
Roads to get tested.

According to the LGBT Life Center, there has been an alarming increase
in STD rates based on the testing it's conducted. In the past six
months, the center reported nearly a 20% increase -- 254 new cases.

The LGBT Life Center's CEO, Stacie Walls, told News 3 the numbers
account for clients who identify as LGBT and heterosexual.

“That’s a drastic increase compared to the people that came here
prior,” Walls said.

They’re also seeing an increase in folks diagnosed with HIV.

Related: Sentara nurse with HIV saves stranger's life by donating
kidney

Walls said they’ve had 31 HIV cases in the past five months “compared
to 28 for all of last year.”

Just last month, she said in a one week period, they had seven cases.

The organization said this is happening partially due to the cuts in
federal funding for STDs and sex education.

“Locally, we’re doing everything we can to reverse this trend,
including more community outreach events, mail order condom
distribution and free STD and HIV testing, as well as opening a
free-to-low-cost health care clinic in Norfolk that can test and treat
STDs on the spot,” said Walls.

But this isn’t just an issue across Hampton Roads.

These new infections are not just being seen at the LGBT Life Center.
According to reports from the Virginia Department of Health, new STD
infections are increasing across the state.

Statistics from the VDH show an overall increase in new STD diagnoses
from 2014 to 2018.

The state’s research noted decreases only in new gonorrhea and HIV
infections last year.

“The health department changed their processes where you now have to
pay for services at the health department,” Walls said.

Because of that, more people are coming to the center to check on
their health.

“Because of our funding requirements, a lot of our testing is geared
toward high-risk populations. If you’re highly sexually active, you
should get tested four times a year,” Walls said about the clients
they see.

She noted that part of why people don’t get tested is the stigma
surrounding being STD- or HIV-positive.

“Access to antibiotics is easy and simple. For HIV, the earlier you
are diagnosed, you can live a long and health life with treatment,”
she said.

https://wtkr.com/2019/09/26/local-health-center-reports-drastic-increase-in-std-hiv-rates-in-hampton-roads/

But you'll eventually die of AIDS related illness anyway.

AIDS can never be cured.