A growing HIV outbreak in central Maine’s Penobscot County has reached 43 cases, following the identification of two additional infections last week. This surge has mobilized public health officials and local organizations to take action.
According to the Bangor Daily News, the latest cases were diagnosed in April. The outbreak, which began in October 2023, significantly surpasses the usual two new cases per year, as reported by the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
The majority of those affected have either a history of intravenous drug use or have experienced homelessness within a year of their diagnosis, the Maine CDC highlighted.
Health authorities caution that the actual infection count may be higher than what has been officially recorded.
In response, community organizations have intensified efforts in HIV testing and prevention to curb the outbreak. Additionally, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention dispatched personnel to Penobscot County in December to support local efforts, the report indicated.
Community groups across the state have increased HIV testing and prevention work as officials try to contain the spread. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention staff also visited Penobscot County in December to assist with the response, according to the report.
The Maine CDC also identified a separate cluster of five HIV cases in November that had been detected in Cumberland County last year among people who inject drugs.
HIV attacks the immune system and can interfere with the body’s ability to fight infection and disease, according to the CDC. There is no known cure, but medication can help control the virus.
In nearly all of the reported Penobscot County cases, the people infected also tested positive for hepatitis C, the Maine CDC said. Hepatitis C is a liver disease that can be mild for some people but can lead to severe long-term complications, including liver cancer.
More than three-quarters of HIV patients tied to the Penobscot County outbreak received care within 30 days of diagnosis, according to Maine CDC figures. Among the 41 people in the outbreak currently living in Maine, 59% had reached viral suppression at their most recent test, meaning they cannot transmit HIV to others.
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