9. The Opioid Epidemic
Not all developments on the HIV front in the past decade have been good ones. The ongoing opioid epidemic in the United States has led to clusters of new HIV cases as well as a rise in new cases of hepatitis C among people who inject drugs. Both viruses, as well as hepatitis B, are transmitted through shared needles and other injection equipment. One notable cluster occurred in Scott County, Indiana, in 2015, and another arose in Cabell County, West Virginia, in 2019; experts warn that more than 200 counties are at risk. The public health crisis has led to greater recognition of the importance of harm reduction, including needle exchange and controversial safe injection sites.
