A London borough that has been named the ‘STI capital of Britain’ for its rates of infection.
Lambeth currently has the highest number of new STI cases at 3,915 per 100,000 people.
Hackney has the second-highest, with 3,306 diagnoses per 100,000, and Southwark third with 3,138 new infections per 100,000 people.
READ MORE: Clinically vulnerable West London woman fears for health as lockdown restrictions ease
According to sexual health experts at FROM MARS, London has the highest STI case rates in the UK.
Navin Khosla, Superintendent Pharmacist at FROM MARS, said: “London is the biggest city in the UK which means a larger population than other locations across the country.
“It’s also a tourist hotspot so when you combine these two factors together, it will inevitably lead to more people having sex.”
She added: “Another factor to consider is the number of students living in and around London. There are around 40 institutes in the capital and whilst enjoying the lifestyle that comes with studying at university, your chances of having sex with multiple people increases.
On why Lambeth has the highest rate, she said: “London is already very ethnically diverse and quite possibly within the Lambeth area higher than other parts of London.
“Whilst we are only speculating, there may be a higher rate of transmission within certain communities, whether this is due to cultural reasons, sexual practices or possibly the embarrassment of having to visit your GP all being factors.”
According to the latest data, ‘STI Tests’ searches increased by 1000% in the last 12 months, suggesting a worrying number of people were not practising safe sex.
According to Google Trends, online searches for ‘STI tests’ also peaked on July 5 after England won their semi-final Euros game.
Following ‘Freedom Day’ on July 19, a second sexual health expert has warned that there could be a spike in transmissions in the capital as people look to “make up for lost time” in the “summer of love.”
Carly Smith, Sexual Health Expert at Condoms.UK said: “The trends have been upwards for the past few years as reported by the Public Health England. So, there is a reasonable likelihood that there will be a spike.
“We are expecting the summer of love, with people wanting to make up for lost time, so ‘freedom day’ is the perfect opportunity for people to get back out there.
“Particularly, as it is much easier for people to meet up in London now and with a higher population, there is a higher risk.”
Ms Smith said: “Three of the most likely places to catch an STI pre-COVID were at a friend’s house, on a university campus or in your own home.
“Nothing about the changes in restrictions is likely to change this (in fact, the more wary members of society may be more likely to keep to these places).
MyLondon’s brilliant new newsletter The 12 is packed with news, views, features and opinion from across the city.
Every day we’ll send you a free email at around 12pm with 12 stories to keep you entertained, informed and uplifted. It’s the perfect lunchtime read.
The MyLondon team tells London stories for Londoners. Our 45 journalists cover all the news you need – from City Hall to your local streets.
Never miss a moment by signing up to The 12 newsletter here.
“As such, these are still the most likely places for people to have sexual encounters with new partners.”
Symptoms of an STI can vary from person to person – and also differ between men and women.
Male symptoms can include bleeding or discharge from the penis or rectum, pain during ejaculation, tenderness in the testicles and rashes or sores around the genitals or anus.
Female symptoms can include unexplained bleeding, pain during or after sex or when urinating, pain in the lower abdomen, unusual discharge and itching around the genital area or anus.
It is estimated that 50 per cent of men and at least 70 per cent of women with chlamydia, for instance, do not experience any symptoms.
Ms Smith said: “The worrying thing is that during the pandemic, people weren’t getting tested properly, as they were either afraid to go to a clinic or clinics were closed. So people stopped testing for STIs, but they didn’t stop having sex.
“So now that people are going out, without being tested, the numbers could go back up, so we encourage people first to get tested as soon as possible, doing so will help stop a spike in STIs.
“If people get tested, then nothing really has changed, and hopefully, there won’t be a spike. But with greater personal contact becoming the norm again, there will naturally be a greater likelihood of transmission.
She added: “We also encourage people to check that their condom stashes are in date because if they had been left since March last year, there’s a good chance their stash will be past its use-by date.
“Expired condoms are more prone to breaking as the rubber can perish, which will cause unwanted pregnancies and also STIs, of course.
“Are we certain that there will be an increase? No, but people should be aware that there could be a potential spike, so the best thing to do is practice safe sex by wearing a condom.
“We might expect a spike in STI transmissions simply because the number of people meeting new partners is likely to increase.”
Top 5 London boroughs for STI case rates
-
Lambeth – 3,915 diagnoses per 100,000
-
Hackney – 3,306 diagnoses per 100,000
-
Southwark – 3,138 new infections per 100,000
-
City of London – 2,850 cases per 100,000
-
Tower Hamlets – 2,658 cases per 100,000
Read More
Related Articles
Read More
Related Articles
https://www.mylondon.news/news/health/london-borough-been-named-sti-21104200
