STDs on the rise in Minnesota

ST. PAUL, MINN. (Valley News Live) - The Minnesota Department of Health is warning about other communicable disease going around the state, besides COVID-19.

The DOH says STDs are on the rise, with a noticeable increase in syphilis cases. There were 1,127 syphilis cases reported in 2019, that’s a 23 percent increase from the year before.

In total, the state saw 33,725 reported cases of STDs including chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis--that’s an increase of 1,701 cases from the year before.

The most commonly reported STD in the state is chlamydia, followed by gonorrhea and syphillis.

The Department of Health also says cases of congenital syphilis are increasing in Minnesota. Congenital syphilis (syphilis in a fetus or infant at birth) can cause serious complications such as miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, birth defects and infant death. In 2019, 21 cases of congenital syphilis in infants were reported, representing a 110% increase from 2018. This is the highest Minnesota has ever reported.

Health officials say STDs are preventable through consistent and correct condom use during sex, getting tested regularly for STDs and HIV, and getting treated for positive results.