DULUTH, MN– Health officials have discovered a significant rise in STD cases in 2021.
This is according to an annual report of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV data from the Minnesota Department of Health.
The annual report also spiked concerns related to the syphilis outbreak in the Duluth area and a sustained increase in Cass and Beltrami counties.
Syphilis cases reflected the greatest increase from 2020, with a 33% increase, to 1,457 cases reported in 2021.
Fifteen cases of congenital syphilis in infants were reported in 2021 compared to seven congenital syphilis cases were reported in 2020.
Chlamydia remained the number one reported STD in the state, with 22,578 cases reported in 2021.
Most cases in teens and young adults, 15 to 24.
Gonorrhea remained the second most reported STD in Minnesota, with 9,671 cases reported in 2021.
In 2021, the “sustained increase” of syphilis, now known as a consistent area of concern, continued in Cass and Beltrami counties, and a syphilis outbreak was declared in the Duluth area, which includes the 30-mile radius around the city.
Experts say if you do not treat syphilis, it can cause blindness, dementia, or even death.
Antibiotic treatment, testing, and education can help prevent the above repercussions.
“People need to know they can protect themselves and their infants by consistently using condoms and by getting tested for syphilis and other STDs, and if positive, by getting treatment and informing their sexual partners,” said Dr. Ruth Lynfield, medical director at MDH.
Doctors suggest pregnant women get tested at the first prenatal visit, early in the third trimester, and at delivery.
If you are sexually active, especially with multiple partners, experts urge testing for STDs and HIV into your regular health routine.
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Discovered on: 2022-06-29 20:12:09
Source: Duluth, state’s sharp rise in syphilis cases highlight need for testing, pr…
