St. Charles County Department of Community
Health & The Environment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 30, 2007

CONTACT:

Nancy Duncan, Director, Division of Public Health                                                                            636−949−7407
Cameron Satterfield, Public Information Officer                                                                               636−949−7408

Take the Lead. Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise.

World AIDS Day is Saturday, December 1

St. Charles County, MO - A quarter–century after it was first identified, human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, continues to spread. More than 38 million people worldwide are now living with HIV, and there were more than four million new infections reported in 2006. Despite significant advances in medicine, there is still no vaccine for HIV, and no cure for AIDS.

World AIDS Day, observed on December 1 each year, was established in 1988 to raise awareness of the epidemic. Each year, the World AIDS Campaign (WAC) chooses a theme to highlight awareness activities. For 2007, WAC has chosen "leadership." In St. Charles County, the Department of Community Health and the Environment is taking the lead by informing residents about HIV and AIDS in our community.

According to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, there were 151 people with HIV/AIDS living in St. Charles County in 2005. In the St. Louis metro, about 4,000 people are known to have HIV/AIDS, but many more don't know they have the virus because they have never been tested.

The St. Charles County health department offers testing for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases by appointment. The clinic is open from 8:30am to 4:30pm Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Fees are based on a sliding scale, according to income. To make an appointment, call (636) 949-7401. The department also offers classes on STD prevention, presented by our own professional educators. For more information, call (636) 949-7900 extension 4244.

For more information about the St. Charles County Department of Community Health and the Environment, call (636) 949-7400 or visit www.scchealth.org.

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