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  • CDC Letter On HIV Outbreak

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    Shannon Stowers
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    The letter summarizes the HIV outbreak among people who inject drugs in Kanawha County, West Virginia. It notes that there have been over 50 new HIV diagnoses since 2019, much higher than the typical annual average of fewer than 5 cases. The CDC has been working with state and local health departments to respond to the outbreak by expanding prevention and care services. The letter also provides data on new HIV cases among people who inject drugs in New York City in 2019. The CDC recognizes the efforts of local organizations responding to the outbreak and offers further discussion and support.

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    The CDC responds to an inquiry by the Kanawha County Commission into the county's HIV outbreak.

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    CDC Letter on HIV Outbreak

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    The letter summarizes the HIV outbreak among people who inject drugs in Kanawha County, West Virginia. It notes that there have been over 50 new HIV diagnoses since 2019, much higher than the typical annual average of fewer than 5 cases. The CDC has been working with state and local health departments to respond to the outbreak by expanding prevention and care services. The letter also provides data on new HIV cases among people who inject drugs in New York City in 2019. The CDC recognizes the efforts of local organizations responding to the outbreak and offers further discussion and support.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    4K views2 pages

    CDC Letter On HIV Outbreak

    Uploaded by

    Shannon Stowers
    The letter summarizes the HIV outbreak among people who inject drugs in Kanawha County, West Virginia. It notes that there have been over 50 new HIV diagnoses since 2019, much higher than the typical annual average of fewer than 5 cases. The CDC has been working with state and local health departments to respond to the outbreak by expanding prevention and care services. The letter also provides data on new HIV cases among people who inject drugs in New York City in 2019. The CDC recognizes the efforts of local organizations responding to the outbreak and offers further discussion and support.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 2

    April 9, 2021

    W. Kent Carper
    President, Kanawha County Commission
    P.O. Box 3627
    Charleston, West Virginia 25336

    Dear Mr. Carper:

    Thank you for your letter to Senators Capito and Manchin regarding your concerns related to the
    HIV outbreak among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Kanawha County, West Virginia. The
    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) appreciates your engagement, and welcomes
    the opportunity to work with you, the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department and the West
    Virginia Bureau for Public Health in response efforts.

    Working with state and local health departments, CDC’s domestic HIV program conducts
    monitoring to detect and respond to HIV outbreaks across the United States. Since the beginning
    of 2019, there have been more than 50 new HIV diagnoses among PWID living in Kanawha
    County with 35 new HIV diagnoses identified among people who inject drugs in 2020. This is
    considerably higher than the prior annual average of fewer than five new cases among PWID in
    Kanawha County. Among U.S. counties with a population size similar to Kanawha County, the
    average number of HIV diagnoses among PWID in 2019 was fewer than one. State and local
    public health officials noted the significant increase in cases and responded with efforts to
    expand prevention and care services. An outbreak of this size requires large-scale, sustainable
    efforts to prevent further spread. CDC has been working with state and local health departments
    to respond effectively.

    Your letter requested additional information about data from New York City. New York City’s
    most recent surveillance report shows that there were 36 new HIV diagnoses among PWID in
    2019 (www1.nyc.gov/assets/doh/downloads/pdf/dires/hiv-surveillance-annualreport-2019.pdf).

    CDC has been working with the West Virginia Bureau for Public Health and local partners to
    understand the extent of the outbreak and support implementation of an effective response. CDC
    stands ready to provide more support at the invitation of the state. CDC recognizes the hard work
    and dedication of staff from Kanawha-Charleston Health Department, Charleston Area Medical
    Center, the West Virginia Bureau for Public Health, and multiple local organizations working to
    develop and implement response activities for this concerning outbreak and applauds their
    continued dedication amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
    Page 2 – Mr. W. Kent Carper

    We appreciate your interest in this important public health issue. CDC would be pleased to
    further discuss the outbreak, needed response efforts and support, and effective prevention
    options. Please share this response with the co-signers of your letter.

    Sincerely,

    Jonathan Mermin, MD, MPH


    Rear Admiral and Assistant Surgeon General, USPHS
    Director, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral
    Hepatitis, STD, and TP Prevention, CDC

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