September 27, 2007

The Latino HIV Task Force, a group of health agencies and community organizations, will offer free HIV testing October 15 as part of the fifth annual National Latino AIDS Awareness Day.

Testing will be provided from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Club Carnaval, 8150 Southwest Freeway.

Hispanics in Houston and Harris County represent 21 percent of the 14,343 HIV infections reported to the Houston Department of Health and Human Services (HDHHS) since 1999. They also make up 17 percent of the 24,398 local AIDS cases reported to the department since the start of the epidemic in 1981.

HDHHS convened the task force in 2002 to help increase education and awareness of HIV, AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases among Hispanics.

The task force is comprised of health agencies and community-based organizations that administer HIV and AIDS prevention programs or medical treatment and various community organizations.

For more information, call 713-794-9020 or 713-772-2366.