Somerset is seeing a staggering rise in gonorrhoea cases, echoing a national trend that's got health experts seriously concerned.

Recent NHS figures show that England hit its highest number of gonorrhoea cases ever recorded, with Somerset experiencing a massive increase over the last decade.

In 2023, Somerset reported 48 infections per 100,000 people, a huge jump from just 6 infections per 100,000 people in 2012. This means the number of cases skyrocketed from 33 in 2012 to 280 in 2023.

Bath and North East Somerset isn't faring much better, with cases rising to 88 infections per 100,000 people in 2023, up from 22 per 100,000 in 2012.

Nationally, gonorrhoea cases shot up by 7.5% from 79,268 in 2022 to a whopping 85,223 in 2023.

Over the past ten years, cases have tripled, with infection rates climbing from 50.3 per 100,000 people in 2012 to 149 per 100,000 in 2023. To put it in perspective, about one in every 670 people in England was diagnosed with gonorrhoea last year.

Dr Hamish Mohammed, a consultant epidemiologist at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said, "We saw more gonorrhoea diagnoses in 2022 than ever before, with large rises, particularly in young people. STIs aren't just an inconvenience – they can have a major impact on your health and that of any sexual partners."

The UKHSA has flagged that sexual health services are teetering at a "critical point." They're urging people, especially those aged 15 to 24, to use condoms and get tested regularly. STIs like gonorrhoea and chlamydia can cause some pretty serious health issues if left untreated, including infertility and pelvic inflammatory disease. Syphilis isn't something to mess with either – it can lead to life-threatening problems with the brain, heart, or nerves.

After a brief decline during the Covid-19 lockdowns, gonorrhoea cases have surged back to unprecedented levels. In 2022, there were 2,195,909 diagnostic tests for chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, or HIV – a 13% bump from 2021. The UKHSA noted that while more testing is partly why diagnoses are up, the sharp increase strongly suggests there's more transmission going on.

Dr Mohammed underscored the importance of regular testing, especially for those who've had unprotected sex with new or casual partners, as many STIs don't show symptoms. "Condoms are the best defence against STIs," he said.