Anonymous Testing Available at Eunpyeong-gu Public Health Center
Seoul Eunpyeong-gu (District Mayor Kim Mi-kyung) Public Health Center announced on the 1st that it is conducting free anonymous rapid tests to confirm Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection.
December 1st of every year is ‘World AIDS Day,’ established by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1988 to eliminate prejudice against AIDS and promote preventive activities.
Disease Control and Prevention Agency HIV Rapid Test Encouragement Card News. Provided by Eunpyeong-gu.
Any Eunpyeong-gu resident who wishes to undergo a rapid test to confirm HIV infection can visit the 2nd floor of the Eunpyeong-gu Public Health Center for an anonymous test. It is recommended to take the test about 4 weeks after the suspected date of infection, and results can be confirmed within 20 minutes using a diagnostic kit. If the test result is positive, a separate confirmatory test is conducted to definitively verify the infection. The infection status is legally guaranteed to remain confidential.
HIV stands for ‘Human Immunodeficiency Virus,’ which is the virus that causes AIDS. AIDS is a condition in which the immune cells are destroyed due to HIV infection, leading to weakened immune function and exposure to various diseases such as other viral and bacterial infections and tuberculosis.
Meanwhile, according to data from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, as of 2023, there were 749 newly infected domestic HIV cases nationwide, a decrease of 76 compared to the previous year. However, the number of newly reported domestic AIDS patients last year was 130, accounting for 17.4%. Additionally, the number of reported deaths among infected individuals last year was 158, an increase of 16 compared to the previous year.
AIDS is not transmitted through everyday contact such as handshakes or meals, and in Korea, more than 99% of infections occur through sexual contact. To prevent AIDS, proper condom use, safe sexual practices, and early testing are important. In particular, early testing to confirm infection helps prevent transmission to others and allows individuals to maintain a healthy life through medication and prompt treatment.
District Mayor Kim Mi-kyung said, "Free anonymous rapid testing is the most effective way to detect HIV infection early," adding, "We hope it alleviates residents’ anxiety and helps them lead healthy lives."
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