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Health

County Launches New Effort To Promote HIV Testing

As the U.S. marks World AIDS Day, San Diego County is getting ready to launch a new effort encouraging people to get tested. The campaign will target people at high risk.

The State Office of AIDS is giving the county about $2.5 million over the next two years for the project. The money will pay for outreach workers and a new ad campaign to urge people to get tested.

Terry Cunningham heads the county's HIV branch. He said it's crucial to make more inroads to minority communities.

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"But we also have a significant lack of education and awareness in young men who have sex with men, of all races," Cunningham added.

The Centers for Disease Control say one in five Americans who are HIV positive doesn't know it. The CDC says these people are responsible for nearly half of all new infections.