Fewer HIV/AIDS cases reported in Minn. in 2010
Fewer new HIV cases were reported in Minnesota in 2010 than in the previous year, but concerns remained about the overall numbers, the Minnesota Department of Health said Tuesday.
Health officials said 331 new HIV cases were reported in 2010, compared with 370 cases in 2009 — an 11 percent decline. But long-term trends showed the average number of cases per year has stayed above 300 for nearly a decade, the health department said.
The numbers of new cases reported in Minnesota in the past few years are below.
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2008: 326 cases
2007: 325 cases
2006: 318 cases
Peter Carr, manager of the STD and HIV Section at the Minnesota Department of Health, said HIV has affected communities of color at higher rates.
People born in Africa had the highest rate, with 66 to 94 cases per 100,000. The rate among African Americans was 11 times higher than for whites. Latinos and American Indians also had higher rates of HIV infection.
Officials said an estimated 6,800 people with HIV/AIDS live in Minnesota.
The Minnesota Department of Health's preliminary HIV/AIDS surveillance report is available here.