CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is willing to meet with the Kanawha County Commission about concerns regarding the rate of HIV cases.
Commissioners sent letters Monday to U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., requesting a congressional inquiry with the agency over the rise. Manchin responded by forwarding the request to agency leaders.
” We are eager to meet with WV Public Health officials to listen to their concerns regarding the HIV rate in West Virginia, and identify how CDC can assist in a way that meets the needs of the people of WV,” the agency responded.
Manchin told commissioners he requested federal health officials to be available to respond to the commission’s concerns.
“They will also be sending an official response to the issues you raised in your letter, which you should receive by Friday, April 9th,” he said.
The Kanawha County HIV Task Force heard from state and national health leaders in February about trends in the county, with a cluster forming among people who inject drugs between 2018 and 2019.