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Indiana HIV outbreak prompts governor to declare public health emergency Indiana HIV outbreak prompts governor to declare public health emergency
(about 5 hours later)
Indiana’s governor is expected to declare a public health emergency on Thursday in response to a large HIV outbreak tied to intravenous drug use in the south-east region of the state. Indiana’s governor declared a public health emergency on Thursday in response to a large HIV outbreak tied to intravenous drug use in the south-east region of the state.
Governor Mike Pence is to unveil an emergency plan to address an outbreak in five counties, where at least 72 people have become infected by the disease. Governor Mike Pence unveiled an emergency plan that temporarily authorizes a short-term needle exchange program to address what Pence described as an “epidemic”.
The public health emergency declaration is specific to Scott County, the epicenter of this outbreak, though it has spread to five counties, where at least 79 people have become infected by the disease.
“Scott County is facing an epidemic of HIV, but this is not a Scott County problem; this is an Indiana problem,” Pence said in a press release.
“The people of Scott County are working hard to address this crisis, and with additional state resources and new tools provided by this emergency declaration, I am confident that together we will stop this HIV outbreak in its tracks.”
State law bars needle exchange programs and the governor has said he is opposed to them. This new program will be implemented for 30 days, then re-evaluated.
Pence said he did not want the exchanges to become a part of state drug policy and would veto any bill introduced by the legislature that allows the programs.
“This is a public health emergency,” Pence told reporters on Wednesday after meeting with local and federal health officials. “Now I’m evaluating all of the issues and all of the tools that may be available to local health officials in light of a public health emergency.”“This is a public health emergency,” Pence told reporters on Wednesday after meeting with local and federal health officials. “Now I’m evaluating all of the issues and all of the tools that may be available to local health officials in light of a public health emergency.”
Advocates of needle-exchange programs hope that the outbreak will prompt Pence to make such exchanges legal statewide, though the governor has expressed reluctance about the programs.
“I do not support needle exchanges as anti-drug policy, but this is a public health emergency,” Pence said. “I’m going to make a decision on the best science and the best way to stop this virus and this outbreak in its tracks.”
Scott County, the region most beset by the outbreak, has had 72 confirmed cases and seven preliminary ones since the first case was identified in the middle of December. HIV cases have also been reported in Washington, Perry, Jackson and Clark counties.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention set up operations in the region earlier this week to help local health workers combat the outbreak, which is thought to have originated from people injecting themselves with drugs like the painkiller Opana and methamphetamine.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention set up operations in the region earlier this week to help local health workers combat the outbreak, which is thought to have originated from people injecting themselves with drugs like the painkiller Opana and methamphetamine.
The cases are centered in the 4,295-person city of Austin in Scott County, which sits just north of the Indiana-Kentucky border, less than 40 miles outside Louisville.The cases are centered in the 4,295-person city of Austin in Scott County, which sits just north of the Indiana-Kentucky border, less than 40 miles outside Louisville.
Dr Will Cooke, who has run Austin’s only doctor’s office for 10 years, said he had been asking the state for help, anticipating that such an outbreak was possible in the poverty-ridden area. He told NBC News that he offers his services on a sliding-scale, with some people paying $10 for care.Dr Will Cooke, who has run Austin’s only doctor’s office for 10 years, said he had been asking the state for help, anticipating that such an outbreak was possible in the poverty-ridden area. He told NBC News that he offers his services on a sliding-scale, with some people paying $10 for care.
“It’s overwhelming how much pain and suffering is going on here,” Cooke said. “We can provide a basic level of primary care. But some people can’t even afford $10.”“It’s overwhelming how much pain and suffering is going on here,” Cooke said. “We can provide a basic level of primary care. But some people can’t even afford $10.”
Cooke told WHAS11 that he was encouraged by people taking advantage of free HIV testing being offered by the state, but is hoping for a more long-term solution. He has met with the governor to lobby for things like clean-needle programs and to bring specialist doctors into the region.Cooke told WHAS11 that he was encouraged by people taking advantage of free HIV testing being offered by the state, but is hoping for a more long-term solution. He has met with the governor to lobby for things like clean-needle programs and to bring specialist doctors into the region.