Escalation of sexually transmitted infections in the Canary Islands: 60% more chlamydia this year

The Canary Islands are one of the communities where it is most appreciated. uncontrolled increase in cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). An upward trend that affects the entire territory of the country and has especially intensified in the last two years. The number of cases detected by the Canarian Health Service (SCS) has increased sharply this year.

So, from January to September 2024 they were confirmed in the Canary Islands. 980 cases of gonococcal infectionwhich is 40.3% more than the same period last year, 1467 cases of chlamydial infectionthat is, 62.3 percent more than in the same period in 2023, and 728 cases of syphiliswhich is a 20.4% decrease in cases compared to the same period last year. For this latter disease, the Canary Islands led the state in 2023 with a rate of 53.91 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.

The new data were released this Wednesday by the Minister of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands, Esther Monzón, and the Director General of Public Health of the SCS, José Díaz-Flores, during a presentation to the media. campaign to prevent sexually transmitted infections (ITS) in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

With a motto “Prevention starts with you”The campaign aims to raise awareness and awareness about STIs and encourage condom use among the public, reminding the public that it is important to take precautions to prevent this type of preventable disease, the Ministry of Health said in a statement.

According to Monson, “this campaign uses real, actionable data to convey the urgency of the problem and normalize the conversation about sexual health.

“The situation in the Canary Islands with the rise in cases in recent years highlights the need for an urgent campaign that informs, raises awareness and takes the conversation to the airwaves to raise awareness about sexual health,” the consultant added.

Promote responsible sexual behavior and performance diagnostic tests for STIs at the slightest suspicion of risk and routine examinations for the timely detection of these infectionsespecially when symptoms are not noticeable, are the goals of the initiative.

According to Diaz, early onset of sexual relations and social networks They have contributed to the spread of misconceptions about how STIs are transmitted and the risks associated with them, all combined with a loss of fear of HIV thanks to scientific advances in treatments that make it possible to survive the disease.