Londoners told to ‘practice safe sex’ as new figures reveal the rate of syphilis diagnoses is three times higher in the capital than anywhere else in England.
The new data from Public Health England (PHE) shows in 2015 nearly 3,000 cases were diagnosed in the capital, accounting for 56% of all cases in England (5,042).
The public health body also found syphilis cases among Londoners have soared by 163% since 2010.
Syphilis is transmitted through sexual activity, including oral sex, PHE warns.
It is treatable with antibiotics and is preventable through safe sex practices which include using condoms, regularly being tested and avoiding overlapping sexual relationships.
Men who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionately affected. Despite representing around 2% of the London population, in 2015 they made up 90% of all syphilis cases.
Dr Yvonne Doyle, regional director for PHE London, said: ‘In London, we have excellent open access sexual health services providing free STI testing and treatment, notification for the sexual partners of those diagnosed with an STI and free provision of contraception.
‘With these services available across the capital there is no reason for people to be taking unnecessary risks with their sexual health.’
Dr Patrick French, a sexual health specialist and genitourinary medicine consultant at Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, said: ‘When I started working in sexual health in London we might have diagnosed four or five people with syphilis in a year; we can now see that number of people with syphilis in a day or two.’
