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Health Department Links More HIV Cases To Scott County Outbreak

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The Indiana State Department of Health says they’ve diagnosed four new cases of HIV linked to the Scott County outbreak.

That brings the total number of people infected up to 188.

The Indiana State Department of Health says all of the new cases involve people who were identified as contacts of others previously diagnosed with HIV.

The majority of the cases associated with the outbreak have been linked to intravenous drug use.

State Epidemiologist Pam Pontones says those at risk for HIV should be retested every three months.

She also suggests using pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP.

“This is an oral medication that someone who is HIV negative can take to prevent from getting infected,” Pontones says.

PrEP can reduce the risk of contracting HIV through sexual activity by 90-percent and through intravenous drug use by more than 70-percent. 

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