Despite a bevy of preventative measures and public service announcements endorsed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other local agencies, the HIV and AIDS rates in some U.S. cities rival the most atrocious numbers in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The creation of the anti-retroviral drug Truvada has dramatically improved the chances of HIV and AIDS victims for living with the debilitating disease. Still, because too many citizens refuse to adhere to the admonishments of abstinence or contraception advocates — coupled with the crippling antipathy of a nation, lack of more aggressive government intervention and the refusal of more people getting tested to find out their statuses before engaging in sexual activities — many U.S. cities are sentenced to being buried financially under this epidemic.
Take a look at the cities with the highest rates of HIV and AIDS rates, according to the United States Census Bureau and the Department of Commerce.
HIV RATES Per 100,000 and total number of cases
1. Miami, Florida 37.2/64,573
2
2. Baton Rouge, Louisiana 30.6 /4,565
3
3. Jacksonville, Florida 29.1/ 7,292
4
4. New York, New York-New Jersey-Pennsylvania 27/ 223,508
5
5. Washington, D.C.-Virginia-Maryland-West Virginia 26.6 /37,916
6
Columbia, South Carolina 23.5 /3,949
7
Memphis, Tennessee-Mississippi-Arkansas 23.3/ 6,018
8
Orlando, Florida 23.3 /10,457
9
New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, Louisiana 23/ 9,941
10
Baltimore-Towson, Maryland 22.8/ 23,875
11
Jackson, Mississippi 22.2/ 2,881
12
San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo, Puerto Rico 20 /24,126
13
Lakeland, Florida 18.9/ 2,210
14
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, Georgia 18.7/ 27,313
15
San Francisco, California 18.3/ 44,422
16
Tampa-St Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida 17.4/ 13,135
17
San Antonio, Texas 12.3/5,892
San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, California 16/14,723
18
Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, North Carolina-South Carolina 15.7/ 4,123
19
Houston-Baytown-Sugar Land, Texas 15.1 /29,556
20
Charleston-North Charleston, South Carolina 14.4/ 2,423
21
Raleigh-Cary, North Carolina 14.3/ 2,632
22
Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro, Tennessee 13.7/ 4,570
23
Fresno, California 13.5/ 1,829
24
Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Florinda 13.2/ 2,034
25
Columbus, Ohio 12.9 /3,966
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