DUPAGE COUNTY — Cases of gonorrhea and syphilis increased dramatically amid the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, according to new information from the DuPage County Health Department (DCHD). The local data follows a nationwide trend reflecting a surge in sexually transmitted infections (STDs) that was reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in April.
DCHD’s data shows a 20 percent increase in gonorrhea cases from 2017, when 451 cases were reported, to 2021, when 543 gonorrhea cases were reported in DuPage County. Syphilis cases were also up by 20 percent between 2017 and 2021, with congenital syphilis cases doubling in that time.
An April news release from DCHD said that, per the data:
“[I]t is clear the COVID-19 pandemic continued to affect trends in diagnosed and reported sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), resulting in likely underreporting of infections and possibly increased STD transmission. The 2020 and 2021 reports reflect the realities of a strained public health infrastructure, but also provide the most current data on reported cases of STDs in the U.S. and locally. Trends presented in 2020 and 2021 STD data should be interpreted cautiously.”
In DuPage County, cases of chlamydia dropped by one percent from 2017 to 2021.
After sharing the data during STD Awareness Week (April 9 through April 15), DCHD encouraged residents to practice safe sex, get tested often for STDs and to “[t]alk openly and honestly with partners and healthcare providers about sexual health and STDs.”
DuPage County offers STD services for residents who are 12 years old or older. Patients who are younger than 18 are eligible free services. To make an appointment, call 630-682-7400.
Discovered on: 2023-04-20 20:22:06
Source: Gonorrhea, Syphilis Cases Surged In DuPage County Amid Pandemic: Data
