HIV is well treated in King County but more could be done, report says

King County is a leader in addressing HIV, but a new national report points out where the county can do better.

Dr. Anand Parekh helped write the report for the Bipartisan Policy Center.

He says a recent cluster of HIV infections in the north end of Seattle indicate where more services need to go.

“It’s not just sort of the health care facilities," he says, "it’s also all of the social supports, the case management, the community based organizations that are providing supports that are critical as well."

Despite the recent spike in cases, Parekh says over the past decade HIV rates in King County have dropped by 51%.

Parekh says the HIV prevalence and risk are still higher in certain groups. Men who have unprotected sex with men, and injection drug users. Men of color are disproportionately affected.

Health officials in King County say they’re already working on solutions… stepping up needle exchange programs, rapid testing for HIV, and access to a preventative drug known as PREP. The report compared HIV response in eight locations across the country.