Rural Indiana county's HIV outbreak tops 100 cases

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By RICK CALLAHAN

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — More than 100 people in southeastern Indiana have tested positive for HIV in an outbreak linked to the sharing of intravenous needles, and officials said Friday they're trying to combat unfounded fears among drug users that they could be arrested if they take part in a needle-exchange program created to stem the spread of the virus.

The state's Joint Information Center said there had been 95 confirmed HIV cases and 11 preliminary positive cases tied to the outbreak as of Thursday. That's up from last week's 84 confirmed HIV cases and five preliminary positive cases.

All of those cases have been linked to needle-sharing among intravenous drug users, most of whom injected a liquefied form of the prescription painkiller Opana.

Indiana's largest-ever HIV outbreak has hit Scott County, a rural, economically-struggling area about 30 miles north of Louisville, Kentucky. Health officials say all of those infected either live in the county or have ties to it. In a typical year, that county would see only about five new HIV cases, but it's seen 20 times that number since December.

FULL story at link.



This April 1, 2015 photo shows a biohazard container for the temporary disposal of needles and other sharp objects at an HIV/AIDS training session in Austin, Indiana. Scott County {2014} about 30 miles north of Louisville, Kentucky {2014} is the epicenter of Indiana's largest-ever HIV outbreak. (AP Photo/News and Tribune, Christopher Fryer)

Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20150411/us--hiv_outbreak-indiana-9493eda18d.html

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Please no Indiana jokes. Marta and I have lost several friends to HIV.

[perdita9]

1. How much money did IN save by canceling that needle exchange program?

You can save a lot of money by not fixing your roof when it's leaking too ... at least until the ceiling falls in on your head.

[Comrade Grumpy]

2. They actually just started an emergency needle exchange.

The governor had to declare a state of emergency to get around the state's law against them.

This is one of the consequences of criminalizing drugs.

[perdita9]

10. Public health is a good thing

I don't know why conservatives are so against prevention campaigns.

[brett_jv]

3. Seriously the illegality of opioids causes them to be like 100x more dangerous ...

Than they actually are.

It's time to put an end to this ridiculous 'War' on Drugs. Let addicts register as such, and pick up their daily (perhaps weekly if they prove themselves responsible and law-abiding) supply of Rx-grade meds and needle (if they use them ... by far most opioid addicts are addicted to pills) at a reasonable price and go about their business, and the societal (and personal) 'costs' of the phenomenon of opioid addiction will be cut by like 90%. Provide easy access to buprenorphine (subutex/suboxone) to people who want to step towards sobriety but aren't able to go through a month of hell at the particular time ... and even easier access to state-funded treatment facilities for the people that are truly ready to at least try to get off the dope.

Prohibition doesn't work in a 'free country'. It's that simple. All it does is create misery & crime, and costs the nation billions of $$$.

Someone also REALLY needs to come up with a medication that will ease the pain of withdrawals in a significant way w/o actually being another opioid ... but that's a subject for another time. If they DID ... they'd make so many millions of $$$. Most addicts stay that way long after they 'enjoy' the drugs themselves ... simply because it's SOOOOO friggin' painful and miserable to 'kick' ... along with the lack of proper support to get through a 2-6 week of period of utter agony and incapacitation.

[IkeRepublican]

4. May not be drug use

Meth is the big drug over that way. Smack was a 90's thing.

S and SE Indiana is a trove of swingers and kids nothing better to do than dip their wicks unprotected, which they then gladly use to make babies to get welfare checks. I'm not mocking this up for joke - it's almost like their "industry" over there. How they manage to score is beyond Buckeyes and most other Hoosiers, as that sector of IN is regarded as an "annex of Kentucky rejects".

Of course, they'll vote against that sort of thing because "the knee-grow is coming to take all the guns". They are very proud of their Obama hatred and were like that about Clinton 20 years ago - going completely wild with homemade signs about "Hillary The Gatekeeper". They're probably dusting those old ones off right about now if Hillary runs.

[chernabog]

5. I lost my uncle to AIDS

Brutal seeing it first hand

[Midnight Writer]

6. The problem is poor people sharing needles

They cannot afford new needles.

Perhaps if Indiana did not refuse the Medicaid expansion, folks would be able to buy the needles and medicine they need without transmitting disease.

[greymattermom]

7. Bleach

30 seconds in laundry bleach, then rinse. Folks can afford that.

[bigworld]

8. Or better yet, don't use intravenous drugs!

[Comrade Grumpy]

9. Welcome to the world of harm reduction.

Yes, don't use intravenous drugs.

BUT IF YOU DO, don't share needles. WE ARE PROVIDING CLEAN ONES FOR YOU.