Noelda Lopez, Public Information Specialist
Noelda.Lopez@Flhealth.gov
Office: 352-589-6424, After Hours: 352-728-7662

The Florida Department of Health in Lake County is requesting vendors who are interested in participating in their 9^th Annual World AIDS Day celebration to be held at Berry Park in Leesburg on Friday, November 30^th from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm.  Vendors will be selected based on items that complement the theme of the festival.  Space is limited and there is no charge to vendors who participate in the event. We are asking vendors to bring their table and chairs.           

The most recent statistics state that Florida ranks third in the nation in the number of AIDS cases and at the end of February 2017 a total of 116,944 adults in Florida were living with HIV. With 4,949 new in 2017 as well as 2,044 new Aids cases in 2017.  In Florida, 30% of all cases were among persons aged 20-29. For 23 consecutive years HIV/AIDS has been the leading cause of death for black females between the ages of 25-44 and is currently the 3rd leading cause of death for black males ages 25-44.  In addition, the February 2017 statistics indicate the following for all the HIV/AIDS cases in Florida: Whites 25%, Blacks 42%, Hispanic race 31% with 2% being another race and MSM (men who have sex with men) are at 61%. New data also suggests that in Lake County we have reported 178 new cases of HIV in the last 5 years and 106 new cases of Aids.

“We are hosting our 9th annual event so residents and visitors can help our community fight this disease by taking charge and getting tested,” said Florida Department of Health in Lake County Administrator Aaron Kissler.

For more information, call 352-771-5500, visit our website at https://lake.floridahealth.gov/ or follow us on Twitter at @FLHealthLake

About the Florida Department of Health

The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @HealthyFla. For more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.