The Houston Health Department has launched an internal investigation after screenshots of local clinical tests were unlawfully leaked online. An unidentified person used X, the app formerly known as Twitter, to share a chart that supposedly contained 46,000 test results of local residents including chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV. Unsurprisingly, the image spread like wildfire online, quickly going viral on every social media platform you can think of. At the top of the chart, it clearly showed “Activity Summary as of 06/17/2024 10:59”. There were 13 columns listing various ailments, each with its own “number last week” and “average”. To add insult to injury, the mystery person posted the sensitive information with an ADJECTIVE caption that read, “This is how many people were diagnosed with an STD in Houston last week. Y’all be careful in these streets.” The comment sections were full of fear and disbelief as it appeared, according to the chart, that a significant amount of Houstonians had serious health threats to be concerned about. Chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis were show to have 29, 348 new cases in the previous week. HIV was shown to have 333 new cases in adult and children. However, the Houston Health Department gave a statement to broadcast station KHOU 11’s verify team that the post is absolutely untrue. In the Health Department’s statement, they explain that the charts are being misread, and the numbers show the types of test administered, not the number of positive test results. “The Houston Health Department deeply regrets the misuse of a data system that violated its policies and procedures to protect the public’s health. Although the intent was to communicate a public health message, the violation resulted in the sharing of aggregate STD and HIV data on social media. No protected health information or personally identifiable information was released. The post includes grossly overstated numbers and incorrect information. The numbers represent laboratory tests reported for the entire state whether the test is positive or negative. Statewide, about 1.2 million HIV tests and 1.6 million syphilis tests are reported every year. The department is conducting a thorough investigation and implementing additional security measures to prevent such future incidents. It would like to use this as an opportunity to urge Houstonians to remain safe and continue to use best health practices. The department sincerely regrets any distress this may have caused and is committed to ensuring the privacy and security of its clients’ information.”
Their statement was a breath of relief for some but given a side eye by others who doubt the validity of their claims. The columns titled “last week” and “average” had already seemed to be cemented in some people’s minds. There was a clear public outcry over the HIV stats more so than the STDs. Possibly because people assume STDs are simple and treatable sicknesses while HIV is the death sentence being casually passed around the masses. There’s been speculation that the Health Department only made their statement as a way to thwart Houstonians from the truth and avoiding a possible panic. All of this talk about fake stats had somewhat of a positive impact in the sense it made many people wonder, what are the real stats of HIV and these common STDs, and should we be concerned about them? According to the official website HIV.org, as of 2024, about 1.2 million people in the United States has HIV, with a “disproportionate impact on certain populations, particularly racial and ethnic minorities.”
There has been a plethora of research done across the U.S, when cross examined, researchers have learned that the current cities with the highest amount of HIV rates include Detroit Michigan, San Francisco, CA., Washington DC, Memphis TN, Baton Rouge and New Orleans LA, St Louis MO, and Philadelphia P.A. The cities with the lowest HIV rates are Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, Idaho, South Dakota, Iowa, New Hampshire and Alaska. Are we surprised by Alaska? That’s besides the point. An important measure in all of this is actually the missing information. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that up to 13% of Americans are unaware they have HIV due to the lack of knowledge of HIV’s window period. Depending on the type of test taken, there is a window of time that has to pass before HIV can be detected in a person.
- Antibody tests are used by taking a traditional blood sample from a person’s vein with a needle. It can detect HIV 23-90 days after exposure.
- Rapid antigen/antibody test are done with blood from a fingerstick or a swab from a person’s mouth that can detect HIV 18 to 90 days after exposure.
- An antigen/antibody lab test is very similar to a common Covid test, where a swab is used to swipe the patients nose then sent off to a lab in a tube. This form can detect HIV 18-45 days after exposure.
- A nucleic acid test (NAT) is also a blood test that detects HIV 10-33 days after exposure.
This overlooked information makes it very possible for a person who is in fact infected with HIV to get a negative result if taken too soon. Which is exactly why the CDC, doctors, and clinics are suggest that sexually active teens and adults get tested a minimum of twice a year. There are 159 clinics around the city of Houston that offer free and low cost testing.
June 27th was national HIV testing day. This annual recognition began in 1995 as a way to encourage everyone to get tested for the life-threatening disease. For there to be so man organizations that care so deeply for the preventative care and post recovery of the general public, it should be easy to assume you can trust the information they share. Thankfully the leaked information didn’t include anyone’s personal identifying information, this would be an entirely different plot twist. Whether you believe the leak was legit, or altered information, lets all be glad that at lease a high number of people are being proactive about their health by getting tested in the first place.
