Politics & Government

Howard County Offers Free HIV Testing

The health department is conducting screenings at Howard Community College on Dec. 1 and has free screenings twice a week in North Laurel.

In recognition of World AIDS Day, Howard County is offering free HIV screenings at on Thursday.

The county's health department issued a statement that testing would take place at the college’s wellness center from 11 a.m. to 1:40 p.m. on Dec. 1.

World AIDS Day started in 1998 and is held on Dec. 1 annually. It was designed to encourage education about HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus; offer support for those afflicted; and honor those who have died from the disease.

Find out what's happening in Elkridgewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Approximately 20 percent of people who are infected with HIV are not aware they have it, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

HIV attacks a person's immune system and if untreated, can lead to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome), which is deadly.

Find out what's happening in Elkridgewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In Howard County, there were 381 people living with HIV as of Dec. 31, 2009, reported the Maryland Department of Mental Health and Hygiene’s Infectious Disease and Environmental Health Administration.

Maryland ranks fourth in the nation in the rate of AIDS diagnosis, according to a report from the Maryland Department of Mental Health and Hygiene released in June. The only areas where the diagnosis is more prevalent are Washington, D.C., New York and Florida.

More than half of Maryland's 29,000 HIV positive residents live in the Baltimore-Towson metropolitan area, according to the report.

"The total number of people living with HIV in the U.S. is increasing because fewer people die of complications from HIV each year," according to Howard Health Counts, a data tracking system for Howard County.

"Improvements in treatment and improved access to treatment allow people with HIV to live longer and healthier lives," stated the Howard Health Counts report. "The annual number of new HIV infections has remained relatively stable in the U.S. in recent years; however, more than 55,000 new cases are reported annually and HIV/AIDS remains a significant cause of illness, disability, and death in the U.S."

Twice a week, the Howard County Health Department offers free screenings in the —walk-ins on Mondays from 1–4 p.m. and by appointment on Fridays from 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m., according to a statement from the department. 


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here