STI rates on the rise in NZ

Sexually transmitted infections syphilis and gonorrhoea are on the rise in New Zealand, ‘‘concerning’’ health authorities. A surveillance report released by ESR this week showed syphilis rates were ‘‘steadily’’ increasing and gonorrhoea cases ‘‘significantly’’ spiked. There were 548 syphilis cases in the 12 months ending March 2019, with Auckland accounting for nearly half (245). Syphilis rates increased more than 560 per cent in the past five years – up from 82 cases in 2013. In the 12 months to March, Canterbury saw 60 cases, Wellington had 55, and Waikato had 50.