11/29/2016
By Ivan Pereira
The city saw the lowest number of new HIV cases in 35 years following a big public push for testing and treatment.
There were 2,493 new HIV diagnoses in 2015, a 8.3 percent drop from 2014, according to new stats set to be released Tuesday by the city’s health department.
Last year also marked the first time that no infant was diagnosed with HIV since the city began tracking cases in 1981.
Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett credited the city and state’s programs that offered free anti-viral drugs such as PrEP and PEP to New Yorkers and a media campaign that promotes safe sex, as the biggest factors behind the declines.
“This is very important because the more options people have the more likely they will prevent infection,” she said.
The data, however, showed slight increases among the New Yorkers who are the majority of new diagnoses.
Men made up of 81 percent of the cases, up .3 percent from 2014, blacks and Latinos made up 78 percent of diagnoses, a 1.9 percent rise from 2014, and 62 percent of the people diagnosed were between 20 and 39-years-old, a 1.8 percent increase from two years ago.
Bassett said the city would continue to conduct outreach efforts to all city communities and inform them about the free options for testing and treatment.
“For some, it’s still scary to have an HIV test,” she said. “We’re working hard to address this.”
