A new study shows the U.S. cities with the highest number of HIV cases and nine out of the top 10 reside in the south.
The data comes from GetTested.com, which rolled out a map ranking the cities by infection rate.
Baton Rouge sits at the top of the list with 44.7 new diagnoses for every 100,000 people, while Miami had 42.8 infections for every 100,000 residents. They are the only two cities to hit the 40 persons mark.
Florida's infection rates have increased every year since 2012 ,which calls attention to the state's public health system. Miami clinician, Dr. Hansel Tookes, tried to start the state's first needle-exchange program, but got heavy resistance for four years. These types of programs allow addicts to switch out old/used needles for clean ones, a system that is known to cut infection rates. A needle-exchange law was finally passed earlier this year.
Get Tested, however, blames the high infection rates on the education system that teaches abstinence as the only means of protection.
"In spite of high rates of infection, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas continue to stress abstinence-only education in schools," Get Tested wrote. "Leading to a lack of information about proper safe sex practices."
