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HIV and STD report: new HIV diagnoses fall but COVID-19 sharply cut testing; congenital syphilis cases rose
Summary
Officials reported 166 new HIV diagnoses in 2019 (a 19% decline from 2018) and improved linkage-to-care metrics, but COVID-19 caused steep drops in testing and threatens gains; congenital syphilis cases rose from zero in 2018 to four in 2019, prompting targeted outreach and rapid-testing measures.
San Francisco's HIV surveillance and STD teams told the Health Commission that long-term gains against HIV continue but COVID-19 threatens progress by constraining testing and prevention services. Ling Su, director of HIV surveillance, said the 2019 epidemiology report recorded 166 new HIV diagnoses in 2019, a 19% decline from 2018 and a 65% decline since 2010. She said an estimated 16,000 people are living with diagnosed HIV historically, and roughly 13,000 currently reside in San Francisco based on latest address data.
The report highlighted persistent disparities: Black residents and people experiencing homelessness remain overrepresented among new diagnoses and have worse care outcomes. Linkage-to-care within one month improved (to about 95% for those diagnosed in recent years)…
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