Sexually transmitted infections are surging in Europe, according to new data from 2022 released by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
In 2022, reported cases of chlamydia rose to 216,508, an increase of 15% in 2021. Gonorrhoea cases reached 70,881, a sizeable increase of 42% on the previous year. And there were 35,391 cases of syphilis, up 31%.
ECDC director Andrea Ammon says the figures “paint a stark picture, one that needs our immediate attention and action.”
Untreated sexually transmitted infections can lead to a slew of health problems, including chronic pain, infertility, and even cardiovascular complications.
The data likely underestimates the problem as many infections go undetected.
