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
Air turbulence: When can it become dangerous?
Flight turbulence like that encountered by a Singapore Airlines flight on Tuesday is extremely common, but there's one aspect of severe turbulence an aviation expert says can lead to serious injury.
B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton hospitalized after prison attack
British Columbia serial killer Robert Pickton was attacked and sustained life-threatening injuries in a Quebec prison Sunday in what officials described as a 'major assault.'
WATCH Why today's inflation numbers are good if you have a mortgage
New inflation data is 'welcome news' for consumers and an economist says it could signal the possibility for a interest rate cut as several core measures also continue to ease.
'Miscommunication' Liberals say of Speaker Fergus event invite Conservatives call partisan
House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus is facing fresh Conservative-led calls to resign, this time over "very partisan" and 'inflammatory' language used – the Liberals say mistakenly – to promote an upcoming event.
OPP continues to investigate boat collision north of Kingston, Ont. that left 3 people dead
Ontario Provincial Police continue to investigate a long weekend fatal boat collision on Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont.
opinion Tom Mulcair: With Trudeau spiralling, Mark Carney waits in the wings
In his latest column for CTVNews.ca, former NDP leader Tom Mulcair argues that if there's an unofficial frontrunner in the eventual race to replace Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader, it has to be former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney.
Loblaw boycott organizers say they plan to keep movement going past May
The organizers of a month-long boycott of Loblaw-owned stores say they've decided to extend the boycott past May.
Trump campaign calls 'The Apprentice' 'blatantly false,' director offers to screen it for him
Donald Trump's reelection campaign called 'The Apprentice,' a film about the former U.S. president in the 1980s, 'pure fiction' and vowed legal action following its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. But director Ali Abbasi is offering to privately screen the film for Trump.
Winnipeg trial hears admitted serial killer searched web for serial killer definition
The trial of a Winnipeg man who has admitted to killing four women has heard he searched the internet to look up the definition of what it means to be a serial killer.