December 1, 2016
New HIV Diagnoses Hit Historic Low in New York City
Winnie McCroy READ TIME: 1 MIN.
Moving steadily toward its goal of being AIDS-free by 2020, the New York City Health Department reports that not a single baby was diagnosed with HIV last year, and new infections are down.
The New York Post reports that for the first time, less than 2,500 New Yorkers were diagnosed with HIV, dropping from 2,718 in 2014 to 2,493 last year.
That's less than half the 5,902 cases reported in just 2001. Unfortunately, they also report that gay, black and Latino men continue to be disproportionately infected by HIV.
"We have yet again reached another historic low in new HIV diagnoses," said Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett. "We still have more work to do to reach our goal of ending the epidemic and reduce the disparities that exist."
Last year, the de Blasio administration vowed to end HIV/AIDS with a new plan that included $23M in funding in fiscal year 2017, to increase HIV prevention and health care programming. Officials say they want to reduce new HIV infections in NYC to no more than 600 by 2020. Part of this plan includes an increase in STD clinics.
Winnie McCroy is the Women on the EDGE Editor, HIV/Health Editor, and Assistant Entertainment Editor for EDGE Media Network, handling all women's news, HIV health stories and theater reviews throughout the U.S. She has contributed to other publications, including The Village Voice, Gay City News, Chelsea Now and The Advocate, and lives in Brooklyn, New York.
