Figures published by the government have revealed how many people were diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection (STI) in North Hertfordshire and South Cambridgeshire last year.
The data, released by Public Health England, counted the number of times an STI was diagnosed for the first time in patients aged between 15 and 64.
In 2017, 455 people were diagnosed in North Hertfordshire and 359 in South Cambridgeshire – compared to 656 in St Albans, 533 in East Hertfordshire, 498 in Welwyn Hatfield, 415 in Hertsmere, and 403 in Stevenage.
Infections included chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, HIV, syphilis and genital warts.
They also included various lesser-known infections such as chancroid, donovanosis, molluscum contagiosum and pelvic inflammatory disease.
The report revealed that the number of diagnoses across the country had about stayed the same, but cases of gonorrhoea and syphilis had risen by a fifth.
The health body predicts that this rise could be down to an increase in people getting tested and more people having sex without a condom.
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