Gonorrhoea and syphilis rise by more than 50% in Australia with ‘concerning’ rise in cases in women

Australia’s Indigenous population is diagnosed with gonorrhoea at more than four times the rate of non-Indigenous Australians. Image shows CGI gonorrhoea bacteria. Photograph: Science Photo Library/Alamy

Rates of reported gonorrhoea and infectious syphilis have increased by more than 50% across Australia over the past decade, with experts warning of concerning rises among women.

Newly collated sexual health data from the University of New South Wales’ Kirby Institute shows 42,393 gonorrhoea notifications and 5,986 infectious syphilis notifications were recorded in 2025. The figures represent 10-year increases of 57% and 56%, respectively.