Gonorrhea Cases in UK Rise 26% from Last Year
In England and Wales, gonorrhea cases have spiked, the Daily Mail reported today.
According to Public Health England, there were 70,936 cases last year, the highest number on record since 1918. This marks a 26% increase from 2018 numbers, and 71% rise from five years ago, in 2015.
Public Health England contends that the rise in diagnoses is partially because of increased testing, "using more accurate diagnostic tests and more comprehensive data on STI diagnoses." According to the government organization's report:
Between 2018 and 2019, increases in gonorrhoea were reported in:
� gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (MSM) from 26,864 to 33,853 (26% increase)
� heterosexual women from 14,167 to 17,826 (26% increase)
� heterosexual men from 13,036 to 15,253 (17% increase)
Dr. Hamish Mohammed, the organization's National Lead for STI Surveillance, said:
"The considerable rise of gonorrhoea cases in England, as well as the continued rise of other STIs, is concerning. It is important to emphasise that STIs can pose serious consequences to health — both your own and that of current and future sexual partners.
"We have seen that gonorrhoea has become more resistant to antibiotics and expect to see further cases of antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea in the future, which will be challenging for healthcare professionals to manage.
"The consistent and correct use of condoms with new and casual sexual partners is the best defence against all STIs. If you have had sex without a condom with a new or casual partner, you should get tested."
In addition to gonorrhea, diagnoses of other STIs have risen as well. Cases of syphilis increased 10% with 7,982 cases reported in 2019, and there is a 5% increase in chlamydia with 229, 411 cases last year. Public Health England suspects that the rise in cases all around might be because of a lack of proper condom use with each new and/or casual sex partner.