The figures paint a seriously grim picture, with Gonorrhoea diagnoses increasing to 82,592 in 2022 which is an increase of over 50% compared to the 2021 figures, which is the highest number of recorded diagnoses since records began in 1918. Similarly the figures for Syphilis indicate the largest increase in diagnoses since just after the Second World War.
Due to the tendency to change sexual partners more frequently than other age groups, young people between the ages of 15-24 are more likely to be at risk of catching STIs. The huge increases in these diagnoses are obviously putting significant pressure on the sexual health services as they struggle to deal with the demand, while facing cuts of their own.