March 7, 2006 – The American Red Cross of the Virgin Islands issued a plea to the women and girls of the community to protect themselves from contracting HIV/AIDS by getting tested. March 10 is AIDS Awareness Day.
In the V.I. and on the mainland, females are among the highest group of people contracting HIV from their partners. Most of these are women of color. Fifty-six per cent of the cases in the territory during 2005 were of African descent and 39 percent were of Hispanic descent. Among cases on St.Thomas/St. John since the early 1990's, 62 out of 148 cases were female, and on St. Croix 66 of 129 cases were female. Since the beginning of the AIDS epidemic 176 females in the V.I. have been diagnosed positive for HIV.
American Red Cross urges all women to get tested, know your status and then always protect yourself.
For more information, contact Pat Odoms at 774-0375.