STIs make roaring post-pandemic comeback

Combined cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis rose 6% in 2021, reaching a total of more than 2.53 million reported cases and nearing the pre-pandemic high of 2.55 million. In 2020, there were about 2.39 million cases.

Syphilis had the largest increase, 32%, from nearly 134,000 cases in 2020 to nearly 177,000 cases in 2021. Chlamydia cases rose about 4% in 2021, reaching 1.64 million; gonorrhea cases also rose about 4% that year, to 710,000.

[Looks like people aren’t “masking” where it actually might be effective. — Ed]