GRAPHIC: Georgia Leads US In HIV Rates, Report Shows

In 2016, Georgia’s HIV rate for adults and adolescents was 31.8 per 100,000 people, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Georgia leads the United States in HIV rates for adults and adolescents, according to a report.

In 2016, Georgia’s HIV rate for adults and adolescents was 31.8 per 100,000 people, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Georgia was the only state with a rate higher than 30.

The report ranked three cities in metro Atlanta (Atlanta, Sandy Springs and Roswell) as the metropolitan area with the fourth-highest HIV rate in the United States.HIV, which stands for human immunodeficiency virus, destroys cells that are important to fight diseases and infections, according to the CDC. There is no cure, but HIV can be controlled.

Along with the CDC, some Atlanta-based organizations are helping to spread awareness of HIV and decrease the stigma.

One of those organizations — AID Atlanta — offers free STI (sexually transmitted infections) testing onsite on weekdays, according to its website. March 20 will be National Native HIV/Awareness Day, and there will be many other awareness days throughout the year that will focus on other populations.