Health emergency declared after Indiana HIV 'epidemic'

Baku. 27 March. REPORT.AZ/ The governor of Indiana has declared a public health emergency after an HIV outbreak "reached epidemic proportions" in part of the state.

Report informs referring the information given by theBBC, Scott County, a poor area where needle-sharing by drug users is common, has seen 79 new cases in recent weeks - up from an annual average of five.

Governor Mike Pence has authorised health officials to implement a needle exchange programme - a remedy he has opposed in the past.

HIV is the virus that causes Aids.

"Scott County is facing an epidemic of HIV, but this is not a Scott County problem; this is an Indiana problem," the governor said.

"With additional state resources and new tools provided by this emergency declaration, I am confident that together we will stop this HIV outbreak in its tracks."

The outbreak was first identified in late January. Since then, officials have diagnosed 79 people with the life-threatening virus - up from 26 cases just one month ago.