One million people suffer from STIs every day: WHO

LONDON: World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that one million new sexually transmitted infections (STIs) occur every single day. More than 376 million new cases annually of chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, and syphilis.

Compared with its last analysis in 2012, the WHO reports “no substantive decline” in the rates of new or existing infections. It suggests around one in 25 people globally has at least one of these four STIs, with some experiencing multiple infections at the same time.

The WHO highlights a lack of progress in stopping the spread of STIs, and says its figures are a “wake-up call”.

The WHO regularly evaluates the global impact of the four common sexually transmitted infections.

The figures suggest that among people aged 15-49 in 2016 there were:

156 million new cases of trichomoniasis
127 million new cases of chlamydia
87 million new cases of gonorrhea
6.3 million new cases of syphilis
Trichomoniasis is caused by infection by a parasite during sex. Chlamydia, syphilis and gonorrhea are bacterial infections.

(Agencies)