Lee County, FL— HIV was the 6th leading cause of death overall among persons ages 25 – 44 in Florida as of 2013. Also, in 2013 Florida ranked first in the nation for newly diagnosed HIV cases and newly diagnosed AIDS cases.

June 27, 2015 is the 21st National HIV Testing Day. The Florida Department of Health in Lee County is promoting testing events throughout the area. The goal is to have as many people as possible tested to learn their HIV status. Free HIV rapid testing, education and counseling are offered with results in 15 minutes.

DOH-Lee joins A Voice in the Wilderness Empowerment Center (AVITWEC), Walgreens, One Way Out, and The Housing Authority of the City of Fort Myers in recognizing June 27th as National HIV Testing Day. The event will be held at the Renaissance Preserve located at 4221 Othello Lane in Fort Myers on Saturday, June 27 between 11:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Children and adults are welcome and will be educated separately. Sexually active people should be tested yearly, and those with high risk behaviors tested every 6 months. All testing is free and results are confidential. No appointment is necessary.

During the event attendees aged 19 to 26 without insurance can receive the HPV Gardasil vaccine at no charge. Testing for sexually transmitted diseases, Hepatitis A, B, and C, glucose, cholesterol and blood pressure will also be available, as well as smoking cessation information.

National HIV Testing Day is an annual campaign coordinated by the National Association of People with AIDS to encourage people of all ages to "Take the Test, Take Control." Early HIV diagnosis is critical, so people who are infected can fully benefit from available life-saving treatments.