CDC ranks SWFL as 16th in US for new HIV cases

FORT MYERS, Fla.- Southwest Florida ranks 16th in the country for new cases of HIV, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

From 2014-2015 Southwest Florida has seen a significant jump in the number of HIV infections, the Florida Department of Health said. Collier County leads the area with a 90 percent increase, according to health officials.

“Being afraid of talking about it is unfortunately what’s contributing to the new infections,” said Amalia Zamot who works at the McGregor Clinic, a facility in Fort Myers that will test you for HIV at no cost.

Zamot adds, “that’s been the barrier. Really getting people to understand this is about public health. This is about reducing new infections.”

Zamot says the new numbers prove it’s time to change the notions about getting tested.

“It should be something that’s normal. It should be as simple as getting your cholesterol checked every year,” said Dr. Stephanie Stovall. “Up to 6 percent of children are sexually active before age 13.”

That’s part of the reason why the American Academy of Pediatrics wants children as young as 9 to be tested for HIV.

“It can begin to open the barriers of communication about HIV,” Stovall said.

Zamot agrees, “if we can talk about it openly and we can talk about risk reduction, and we can talk about prevention in general, I believe we would eradicate that.”