WQOW TV: Eau Claire, WI NEWS18 News, Weather, and SportsEarly testing urged on Latino AIDS Awareness Day
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Associated Press - October 12, 2009 6:14 AM ET
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Minnesota will join the rest of the nation on Thursday in observing National Latino AIDS Awareness Day, which is held in response to rising HIV infection rates among Latinos.
The Minnesota Health Department says that since 1982, 610 Latino men, women and children have been diagnosed with HIV, including 129 who have died. Statewide infection rates are nearly five times great than whites.
The Health Department is encouraging Latinos to get tested and to always practice safe sex. Officials also note that medications are more effective when HIV is caught early.
That's of particular concern for Latinos. Statistics show that Latinos have the highest percentage of "late testers" among population groups. That means many Latinos aren't getting tested until years after they have been infected.
On the Net:
A bilingual Web site has been created to help Latinos find testing sites: http://www.NoMasHIV.com
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