Sexually transmitted diseases are on the increase across England, with 20% more hetrosexual people diagnosed with Victorian Disease syphilis than the previous year.
The huge increase was noted in government figures for 2023 released today in the annual official statistics data. They show that in the whole of 2023 there were 401,800 diagnoses of new STIs, an increase of 4.7% on 2022 when 383,789 cases were found.
The number of gonorrhoea diagnoses in 2023 was the largest annual number reported since records began in 1918, while the number of syphilis diagnoses was the largest annual number reported since 1948.
Although rates of chlamydia diagnoses remained stable with 194,970 diagnoses in 2023 compared to 194,244 diagnoses in 2022, gonorrhoea diagnoses increased 7.5% from 79,268 diagnoses in 2022 to 85,223 diagnoses in 2023.
Cases of a first episode of genital warts also remained stable with 26,133 diagnoses in 2023 compared to 26,068 diagnoses in 2022. But it is in infectious syphilis diagnoses where large increases are seen. Overall there was an increase of 9.4% from 8,693 diagnoses in 2022 to 9,513 diagnoses in 2023.
The figures show that there was a larger proportional increase in syphilis diagnoses among heterosexual men and women. These people recorded the largest increase at 21.8%; from 1,608 in 2022 to 1,958 in 2023. Cases among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men saw less on an increase - up 7.3% from 6,081 in 2022 to 6,527 in 2023.
The report states: "In 2023 there were increases in the numbers of gonorrhoea (7.5%, from 79,268 to 85,223), and infectious syphilis (primary, secondary and early latent stages) diagnoses (9.4%, from 8,693 to 9,513) compared to 2022.
"In line with the increasing trend over the past decade, diagnoses of both gonorrhoea and syphilis exceeded the high levels reported in 2019 (before the COVID-19 pandemic), which were 71,133 and 8,040 respectively. The number of gonorrhoea diagnoses in 2023 was the largest annual number reported since records began in 1918, while the number of syphilis diagnoses was the largest annual number reported since 1948."