Cases of congenital syphilis, which is passed down from mothers to newborns, are increasing even faster. The state reports a 169 percent increase during that same time period, with 35 cases among newborns. In 2012, only two cases of congenital syphilis were reported statewide.
That spike follows a national trend, according to recent data from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. Reported cases of syphilis nationwide have increased by 78.9 percent from 2018 to 2022. Congenital syphilis cases have increased by 183.4 percent over that same period.
