PENOBSCOT COUNTY — Since October 2023, Penobscot County has become the site of an HIV cluster.

According to Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention data, this part of the state normally sees an average of two cases per year.

But in the last year-and-a-half, the CDC has reported 21 confirmed cases — all linked to injection drug use.

“In terms of care and treatment, (we are) using everything from trying to refer people to infectious disease at Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center,” said Bangor Public Health and Community Services Director Jennifer Gunderman. “And for those people who struggle to use the traditional healthcare model, it’s Penobscot Community Health Care that has been doing a lot to bring some of that care and treatment on the ground.”

Gunderman said area organizations are working to prevent the spread and connect people with care and testing, but this requires a multi-faceted approach since the Maine CDC is reporting that 90% of those 21 cases are linked to people experiencing homelessness.

“We have looked at how we can expand testing at these clinic sites and another really important part of testing strategy is to meet people where they’re at, so there’s a lot of outreach testing that’s happening,” said Gunderman. “(Such as) going to where people are experiencing homelessness or where people are congregating to be able to bring those testing services to them.”

According to the Maine CDC, 71% of people in those 21 cases were linked to care within 30 days of their diagnosis.

“No one organization can do this on its own,” said Gunderman. “And we know this is a population that you need to offer many different pathways to testing, care treatment, support, and other prevention strategies.”

Gunderman said Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness has been one group that has expanded services to help address the issue.

“There’s a number of prevention strategies that are important to prevent transmission of HIV that includes SSPs, or syringe service providers, and we have a wonderful SSP that has really expanded their services at the moment — Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness,” said Gunderman. “It also includes education, and so a number of our collaborative partners here at Bangor public health and community services, we’ve developed educational materials to share the facts about HIV as well as how to access resources.”

Resources can be found through the Maine CDC website, the Needlepoint Sanctuary of Maine or Wabanaki Public Health and Wellness.