Illinois: Today Is National Latino AIDS Awareness Day

The McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH), in Illinois, is acknowledging today, October 15, as National Latino AIDS Awareness Day, a campaign aimed at engaging the Hispanic and Latino community in promoting HIV awareness through testing, prevention, and education. This year's theme is "Hispanics United to End AIDS," according to a press release issued by Debra Quackenbush, community information coordinator for MCDH, which is located on 2200 N. Seminary Avenue in Woodstock, Ill. MCDH offers free and confidential HIV testing and counseling -- which takes less than an hour -- for high-risk individuals, as well as fee-based testing for sexually transmitted infections (STI) for those at-risk. Call 815-334-4500 for an appointment. As of December 2011, 123 people in McHenry County have HIV/AIDS (51 HIV, 72 AIDS). MCDH urges Latinos to take the following steps: get tested to find out if you are HIV positive, seek early medical care if you are HIV positive to protect yourself and your partner, protect yourself and others from HIV through safe sex practices, and seek education about HIV.

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