SOUTHERN INDIANA — As the number of HIV cases in Southeastern Indiana continues to grow, Gov. Mike Pence signed an act meant to combat the IV drug use problem underlying the epidemic.
Senate Enrolled Act 461 allows local health officials to enact a needle-exchange program with the approval of the state during public health emergencies.
“I am grateful for the efforts of legislators in both political parties for moving this important public health measure forward in a timely way,” Pence said in a news release. “This measure will save lives and give public health officials the broadest range of options to confront this and other public health emergencies in the future.”
Officials announced Tuesday that HIV cases in this region have reached 149, with 146 confirmed cases and 3 preliminary positive cases. Updated counts will be announced each Tuesday and Thursday.
Health officials have said that they are hopeful the number of positive cases are tapering off.
On April 28, 143 positive cases were detected — only one more than the April 24 count. When expanded testing was first introduced to the county, numbers soared at a much higher rate. Between April 10 and 17, 24 new cases were detected, jumping from 106 to 130 in seven days.
Officials have said that disease intervention specialists — from Indiana, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other states’ departments — are dwindling their number of potentially infected contacts.
“Hoosiers may be assured that our administration will continue to work tirelessly to confront the crisis in Scott County in a compassionate and focused way until public health and public safety are restored,” Pence said.