From the Beaufort County Health Department

 

More than 1.2 million people in the United States are living with HIV. North Carolina ranks eighth among all 50 states in the number of HIV diagnoses. In the U.S., 1 out of every 7 living with HIV are unaware they have it. For those ages 13–24 living with HIV, over half do not know they are infected. Those who do not know they have HIV are not receiving treatment, therefore putting others at risk. HIV does not discriminate — any sexually active person is at risk for contracting HIV. The only way to be sure that you do not have HIV is to get tested.

Early diagnosis is imperative to ensure that a HIV positive person lives a healthy life and keeps his or her partner healthy. The CDC estimates that more than 90 percent of new HIV infections in the U.S. could be prevented by testing and diagnosing people who have HIV to ensure they receive early and continued care. To learn your status, contact Beaufort County Health Department. BCHD offers free HIV testing. This test can detect an infection that has been introduced into a person’s system in as little as two weeks. Please contact Beaufort County Health Department at 252-946-1902 to make an appointment.

Take the Test. Take Control.