Preliminary numbers show HIV cases on the rise in Central Florida

ORLANDO, Fla. — The rates of HIV infections across Central Florida appear to be on the rise this year, according to a monthly report by the Florida Department of Health.

Orange County has the third highest number of HIV- AIDS cases in the state, behind Miami and Broward County.

The number of people becoming infected with HIV in Orange County is up 28 percent in 2016.

It’s up 46 percent in Volusia County, and up 83 percent in Brevard County.

“Because we have free HIV testing opportunities, we are able to access more people,” said Nicole Elinoff of The Center in Orlando.

Elinoff oversees HIV testing at The Center in Orlando. She said those increases may be because more people are getting tested.

“Comparing the numbers to 2014 and 2015, each month, we've had at least a 100, 200 percent increase,” Elinoff said.

Elinoff said there's another reason the number of cases is going up: the rising heroin epidemic in Central Florida.

But there's a way to address that too.

“For Orlando to have a higher rate of heroin increase and no needle exchange program, it is a correlation for increases,” said Elinoff.

Elinoff claims Orange County is one of the top ten counties in the country for HIV cases.

“It's frustrating, but what I do know is that we are taking the best effort to combat HIV,” said Elinoff.

There are two needle exchange programs in the state: one in Tampa and one in Miami.

But there are no plans to start one in Central Florida.

The Department of Health said the numbers are preliminary.

Cox Media Group