COLUMBIA, S.C. - National HIV Testing Day is June 27, 2019, and the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) is encouraging South Carolinians to get tested for HIV and other STDs.

As of Dec. 31, 2017, there are nearly 20,000 South Carolina residents living with diagnosed HIV infection, including AIDS.

“Early detection through testing for HIV remains essential to successfully identifying and treating the disease and is critical to preventing new infections,” said Ali Mansaray, Director of DHEC’s STD/HIV and Viral Hepatitis Division.

Between 2016 and 2017, more than 1,500 people were newly diagnosed with HIV in S.C. Of those newly diagnosed, 66 percent were African American, 22 percent were white, and 8 percent were Hispanic.  

Much like new HIV infections, African Americans are disproportionately impacted when it comes to the total number of people living with HIV in South Carolina. As of December 31, 2017, African American men account for the highest number of individuals living with HIV in SC, which was 46 percent of the total population living with HIV; 22 percent were African-American women, 20 percent were white men and 5 percent were white women. Five percent of people living with HIV were Hispanic/Latino (men and women).

“Most people in the early stages of HIV infection have no symptoms,” Mansaray said. “Early diagnosis can link people to services that will help them stay healthy longer, benefit most from treatment, reduce costly hospital visits and help prevent transmission to others.”

CDC recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV at least once as part of routine health care. Knowing your HIV status allows you to take steps to keep you and your partner healthy. National HIV Testing Day promotes HIV testing and early diagnosis.

Participating health departments will be offering free HIV/STD testing on June 27. Appointments are encouraged. For more information about HIV testing, as well as local HIV testing sites, call 1-855-4SCDHEC (1-855-472-3432), or visit DHEC's service locator at gis.dhec.sc.gov/HIVLocator.

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This year, testing and other events will also be held at the following locations across the state in observance of National HIV Testing Day:

Free HIV Testing June 24-28
Waverly Family Practice/Eau Claire Cooperative Health Center
1228 Harden Street
Columbia, SC 29204
9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Saturday, June 20
St. Luke's Episcopal Church
1300 Pine Street
Columbia, SC 29204
10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Friday, June 21
Sandhills Medical Foundation
600 Rutledge Street Park
Camden, SC 29020
10 a.m.–2 p.m.

Sunday, June 23
Palmetto AIDS Life Support Services
National HIV Testing Day Virtual Town Hall Meeting
Cecil Tills Center
2111 Simkins Lane
Columbia, SC 29204
5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, June 25
Palmetto AIDS Life Support Services
2638 Two Notch Road, No. 108
Columbia, SC  29204
10 a.m.-7 p.m.

Waverly Family Practice/Eau Claire Cooperative Health Center/Transitions Youth
8512 Two Notch Road
Columbia, SC 29223
12 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Bowl HIV Away

Wednesday, June 26
Joseph H. Neal Health Collaborative/ Wateree Community Actions Inc./ Antioch Baptist Church
Utility Assistance Outreach event with HIV testing
5715 Koon Rd. Columbia SC 29203
9 a.m.–1 p.m.

AIDS Healthcare Foundation
Benedict Student Health Center
2315 Laurel Street
Columbia, SC 29204
10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Thursday, June 27
HopeHealth Orangeburg and Walgreens
1106 John C. Calhoun Drive
Orangeburg, SC  29115
1 p.m.–7 p.m.

HopeHealth Florence and Walgreens
306 N. Irby Street
Florence, SC 29501
1 p.m.–5 p.m.

Tandem Health and Walgreens
201 N. Lafayette Drive
Sumter, SC  29150
10 a.m.–7 p.m.

Piedmont Care, Inc.
101 N Pine Street, No. 200
Spartanburg, SC  29302
8:30 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Affinity Health Center and Walgreens
1008 Oakland Avenue
Rock Hill, SC  29732
10 a.m.–7 p.m.

Waverly Family Practice/Eau Claire Cooperative Health Center
1228 Harden St & 2117 Gervais St.
Columbia, SC 29204
Parking Lot Backyard BBQ
11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

CareSouth Carolina Inc. and Walgreens
901 S. 5th Street
Hartsville, SC 29550
10 a.m.–2 p.m.

Wright-Wellness Center and Walgreens
5900 N. Main Street
Columbia, SC 29203
6 p.m. - 10 p.m.

CAN Community Health
1911 Hampton Street
Columbia, SC 29201
11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Hispanic Outreach and Mexican Consulate
Our Lady of the Hills Catholic Church
120 Marydale Lane
Columbia, SC 29210
9 a.m.–3 p.m.

Palmetto AIDS Life Support Services and Walgreens
7412 Broad River Rd.
Irmo, SC 29063
10 a.m.-7 p.m.

Saturday, June 29
Sandhills Medical Foundation
H & J Hair Styling Center
800 Miller Road, No. 1
Sumter, SC 29150
10 a.m.–1 p.m.