MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- To help mark World Aids Day 2024, the Shelby County Health Department is raising awareness about the disease and offering free HIV testing. It comes at a time when HIV infection rates are on the rise in the Memphis metro area, especially for many teens and young adults. It's another alarming statistic and another dubious distinction for Memphis and Shelby County. When it comes to new HIV infection rates, the Greater Memphis area ranks second in the nation. Memphis ranks second in the nation in highest number of new HIV cases Dr. Michelle Taylor, the Shelby County Health Director, told WREG that we should be alarmed. "We are number two for new HIV infections only behind Miami, Florida and we're ahead of Atlanta, Georgia which is third," Dr. Taylor said. "So, that lets you know that right now, we have a major issue with HIV and AIDS in our community." Preliminary data from the Tennessee Department of Health shows the HIV infection rates for teens and young adults in Shelby County are on the rise. "And we've seen some increases, especially among our young people," Dr. Taylor said. "We've seen about a 50 percent increase in new HIV infections among folks 15 to 24 in the county. And we have about 7,500 people in Shelby County living with HIV." But health experts say HIV is no longer a death sentence and medical advances have been made. "The medicines are so much better. The treatments are so much better than they were even 10 years ago," Dr. Taylor said. "But in order to get treated, you have to know your status first and it's estimated that about 13 percent of people are living with HIV and don't know it. And so, it's really important that we get this message out to the community." New rule allows HIV-positive organ transplants It's a message advocating for awareness, testing and sex education to help reduce HIV infections. "It's time to put the foot on the gas pedal," Dr. Taylor said. "It's time that we come together as a community and really save the next generation of people coming up who may not have had the same comprehensive sex education that you and I had coming through school." The Shelby County Health Department and Ryan White Program World AIDS Day event is underway right now until 9 p.m. at the Atrium at Overton Square on Madison Avenue. The free event will also feature a dinner, giveaways and a presentation of the Memphis Ryan White Program's Light of Hope Awards.