Support is shown through global events that fundraise, spread
awareness and commemorate those who have died from the virus.
The fight hits close to home, as statistics indicate Bolivar
County and Sunflower County struggle with a relatively high rate
of HIV cases. According to 2011 data from the Mississippi State
Department of Health, there were 126 reported cases of
individuals living with HIV in Bolivar County and 225 cases in
Sunflower County. The MSDH said a big reason for the high rates
is people of all ages not getting the testing they need. "One of
our primary goals is to prevent the spread of AIDS and to do
this we need to get more people tested," said Dr. Nicholas
Mosca, director of the MSDH Office of HIV/STD Prevention. "Our
data shows that two in five people in Mississippi learn about
their AIDS status one year into infection — that's
unacceptable," he added. More than 9,500 Mississippians are
living with HIV and 73 percent of those cases are African-
Americans — nearly 7,000 cases. While the virus i