Southern Indiana County Experiencing HIV Outbreak

Published March 26, 2015 at 12:40 PM EDT

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence makes a comment as Scott County Sheriff Don McClain listens during a meeting that Pence held with local officials in Scott County to discuss an HIV outbreak in the area, Wednesday, March 25, 2015, in Scottsburg, Ind. Pence is preparing to declare a public health emergency in the southern Indiana county where 72 cases of HIV have been confirmed. (Darron Cummings/AP)

Indiana Governor Mike Pence today declared a public health emergency in one of the state’s southern counties. More than 70 cases of HIV have been confirmed there since January.

Health officials are calling it an HIV outbreak, and say it stems from the use of shared needles to inject the narcotic pain reliever Opana (oxymorphone). Gov. Pence has authorized a short-term needle exchange program for Scott County, despite his opposition to using that program statewide.

Brittany Combs, the public health nurse for Scott County, joins Here & Now’s Jeremy Hobson to discuss the outbreak.

Guest

Brittany Combs, public health nurse for Scott County, Indiana.

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