(Santa Ana, CA)  - The OC Health Care Agency celebrates National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD) on October 15 by promoting testing and early diagnosis of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
 
This year’s theme, “To Defeat HIV: You’re a Superhero. Use Your Superpowers” encourages community members to become superheroes by getting tested and knowing their HIV status to prevent new infections and use their superpowers to spread awarenes about HIV/AIDS through social media using the hashtag #NLAAD.
 
The Latino population represents approximately 34% of the total population in Orange County; however, they are disproportionately represented in the HIV case reports. In 2016, 49% of those diagnosed with HIV were Latino and Latinos represented 56% of those who were concurrently diagnosed with AIDS at the time of their HIV diagnosis. On average, people who are concurrently diagnosed with AIDS are estimated to have been living with HIV for more than 10 years without knowing their HIV status. Many of these people had been to a medical setting like an emergency room, a community health center, or their doctor, but were not tested for HIV.
 
At the end of 2016 there were 6,762 persons living with HIV in Orange County and by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates, an additional 669 Orange County residents have HIV and don’t know it – many of whom will develop AIDS before realizing they are HIV-infected. The CDC estimates that one in nine individuals who have HIV are unaware of it.
 
Every adolescent and adult should get an HIV test at least once as part of routine health care and those at increased risk of infection should be tested more frequently. In addition to medical providers throughout Orange County, the following agencies offer year-round confidential and anonymous free HIV testing in Orange County:

• AIDS Services Foundation: Walk-ins Tuesday through Thursday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.; and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (949) 809-8775.
• APAIT Health Center: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Please make an appointment, call (714) 636-1349.
• Orange County Health Care Agency: 17^th Street Clinic. Walk-ins only on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Tuesday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (714) 834-8787.
• RADAR: Walk-ins Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; closed Sunday, Thursday, and Friday (714) 868-5601.
• The LGBT Center OC: Walk-ins Tuesday and Thursday 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Wednesday 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. For additional information, please call (714) 953-5428.

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