Bay town sees huge increase in sexually transmitted infection

»»TORQUAY saw the biggest yearon-year increase in chlamydia cases in England, figures show.

The rate of spread of the sexually transmitted infection (STI) soared by 131.5% between 2021 and 2022, which is more than anywhere else in the country, the MailOnline reports. It comes as STI rates across the county continue to rise.

Figures show that the county saw a 72% rise in syphilis in the same two-year period, with cases rising from 2.9 per 100,00 people in 2021 to five per 100,00 people in 2022. Gonorrhoea cases also increased from 20 per 100,00 people in 2021 to 78 per 100,00 people in 2022 – a whopping 285% rise.

The real figures are likely to be higher because not everyone who catches an STI will get tested. Some people may also catch chlamydia more than once.

Recently free condoms were being offered to people under the age of 25 in Devon following a spike in STIs.

Chlamydia is considered one of the most common STIs in the UK, partly because most people don’t show any symptoms so don’t get tested. When symptoms do occur they can include discomfort while urinating. Women might also have stomach pain or bleed after sex or between periods. In men, it can include pain and swelling of the testicles.

Symptoms of gonorrhoea usually occur within two weeks of infection and can include unusual discharge from the genitals and a burning sensation when urinating. Syphilis usually takes three weeks for symptoms to show after an infection and often causes small sores or warts to develop on or around the genitals.