Scott County's needle exchange program will continue for another year after State Health Commissioner Jerome Adams extended the public health emergency declaration for the county.
The State Department of Health first declared a public health emergency in late March of last year after an outbreak of HIV tied to sharing of needles among injection drug users.
Since February of 2015, 191 people have tested positive for HIV in Scott County.
In a statement, Dr. Adams says the extension will ensure that the progress made by the syringe exchange program over the past year will continue.
"Scott County has made great strides in stopping the spread of disease in the past year, but the risk factors that led to the HIV outbreak still exist," Dr. Adams says. "Extending this declaration allows county health officials to continue their efforts to reduce the risks to their community and ensure that this outbreak remains controlled."
The declaration will last until May 24, 2017.