Gonorrhoea cases have now hit the highest ever recorded in the UK, with syphilis having the most diagnoses since 1948, as sexually transmitted infections (STIs) sweep the country and skyrocket in the north west.
The region's health leaders have been forced to issue a stark warning as the latest data reveals there were more than 400 new STIs diagnosed every day in 2022. In the north west, the number of diagnoses of chlamydia is fast returning to pre-pandemic levels, while there has been a 93 per cent hike in gonorrhoea since last year.
Though STIs are usually easily treated with antibiotics, many can cause serious health issues if left untreated. Chlamydia and gonorrhoea can cause infertility and pelvic inflammatory disease, while syphilis can cause serious, irreversible and potentially life-threatening problems with your brain, heart, or nerves.
