220 Counties across the U.S. are at Risk of HIV Outbreak

According to a report of US Qiaobao on June 3, Austin, a small town in southeastern Indiana, U.S., experienced an outbreak of HIV last year, primarily due to needle sharing among drug users. A latest study report of U.S. CDC warned that many counties throughout the country are facing similar situations, and are at risk of outbreaks of HIV and hepatitis.
A recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study showed, according to the Wall Street Journal, that 220 counties across the U.S., including Scott County where Austin is located, are vulnerable to the spread of HIV and hepatitis C, due to gaps in health care prevention. In the latest study, researchers examined the sales of prescription painkillers, fatal drug overdose and unemployment rate, etc. in these areas of the U.S.
The Journal reported that almost all the 220 counties are located in remote rural areas, and 56 percent of those counties are in Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia. The prevalence of opioid drug use in Appalachian region is the highest, and the rest counties are located in other 22 states, including California, Maine, etc. (Source: Lao Ren, People's Daily Online, June 14, 2016)