Central Texas has one of the highest rates of HIV infections. This week, federal officials visited the state to talk about a strategy for combatting HIV.

  • HIV is disproportionately affecting states in the south
  • Health officials are targeting 7 states
  • HIV eradication is part of Trump's larger plan

It's part of the Trump administration's larger plan to significantly reduce the number of new infections of the virus over the next 10 years. Texas is expected to play a critical role.

“This is the most exciting time to be able to end the epidemic. We have all the tools we need and our leaders are hearing that there is a need for this,” said Ana Herrera, the director of clinical services for Aids Services. “So with the technology and the medications that we have, there is a possibility to end it.”

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is specifically targeting seven states with high rural HIV cases and 48 counties for their high number of new HIV infections. Five of those counties are in Texas.

“Unfortunately the HIV infection and epidemic is really disproportionately affecting states in the south and people that live in the south,” Herrera said. “Additionally, the Latinx community is disproportionately affected. Here in Austin, about 38 percent of new HIV infections occur in the Latinx community.”

Click the video link above to watch our full interview with Herrera