Sexually transmitted infection rates rising in Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph
Doctors in Guelph and Wellington County are seeing more sexually transmitted infections post-pandemic.
Dr. Nicola Mercer, the medical officer of health for Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph, said it’s not surprising that rates went down during the COVID-19 outbreak.
“Now we’re heading back up to pre-pandemic, or in some cases, rates that are slightly above the pre-pandemic rates,” she told CTV News on Thursday. “Chlamydia, gonorrhea or syphilis – the big three that we have heard about – have shown consistent increases.”
Common symptoms of an STI are:
- Sores, bumps, blisters near your genitals, anus or mouth
- An unusual rash
- Itching near or around your genitals, a bad smell or an unusual discharge
- Pain in the lower abdomen
- Pain or bleeding during or after sex
- For women, bleeding between periods
Mercer said doctors have one big concern when it comes to syphilis.
“There’s still a large population in Ontario that doesn’t have access to primary care. If [a person] is pregnant and has a disease like syphilis, then these diseases can be transmitted to a newborn in utero. That is obviously really concerning,” she explained. “We’re trying to monitor that very closely to ensure that everyone who is diagnosed with syphilis, including young women [and] women who become pregnant, are followed up with and treated because this is a treatable disease. We don’t want to go back to what we used to see many, many decades ago where we would see babies born with congenital syphilis.”
Mercer also has advice for anyone having unprotected sex with one or more partners.
“You are at risk of a sexually transmitted infection,” she explained. “Chlamydia, we often diagnose in women more than men because women are more likely to be tested for this disease.”
Chlamydia isn’t life-threatening, but the disease can affect fertility if it’s not addressed.
“So many sexually transmitted infections, they’re treatable and they’re preventable,” said Mercer. “We just encourage people to think about that as part of their overall health plan.”
Getting tested
Anyone without a primary health care provider is encouraged to contact their local public health unit.
“We have sexual health clinics,” said Mercer. “If you’re worried about anonymity, you can still come to us. We would be happy to hear from you, and we’d be happy to diagnose and treat you.”
The health unit not only provides testing, treatment, education and referrals, but all their services are free and no health card is required.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
3 injured after man with knife enters Montreal-area mosque
Three men were injured after trying to subdue a man armed with a knife during afternoon prayers at a Montreal-area mosque Friday afternoon.
Teen arrested in New Brunswick after emergency alert; 5 people in custody
A 15-year-old boy who was the subject of an emergency alert in New Brunswick has been arrested.
Police arrest 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole Porsche and ran over its owner
Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.
Woman nearly shut out of mother's estate sues brother in B.C. Supreme Court – and wins
Since she was a young girl growing up in Vancouver, Ginny Lam says her mom Yat Hei Law made it very clear she favoured her son William, because he was her male heir.
'We're still pushing hard': Search for missing Manitoba boy continues, RCMP find tracks
The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.
Kamala Harris tells Oprah any intruder to her home is 'getting shot'
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday issued a warning to any potential home intruder: 'If somebody breaks in my house, they're getting shot.'
On the trail of the mystery woman whose company licensed exploding pagers
What Cristiana Barsony-Arcidiacono, 49, the Italian-Hungarian CEO and owner of Hungary-based BAC Consulting, says she hasn't done is make the exploding pagers that killed 12 people and wounded more than 2,000 in Lebanon this week.
Top Hezbollah commander among 14 killed in Israeli strike on Beirut
Israel killed a top Hezbollah commander and other senior figures in the Lebanese movement in an airstrike on Beirut on Friday, vowing to press on with a new military campaign until it is able to secure the area around the Lebanese border.
11-year-old boy dies after subway surfing in NYC
An 11-year-old boy died Monday after subway surfing in New York City. He's the fourth person to die from subway surfing in the city this year.