Gonorrhea rates have increased more than 300 per cent in Grey-Bruce County.
According to the Grey Bruce Health Unit, there were 25 cases of gonorrhea in 2014, a huge jump from the year prior, where there were only six cases.
Why the increase? The health unit says people using the internet to hook up with strangers is a leading cause.
“Contributing to this increase is the proliferation of online websites that cater to anonymous sexual contact,” the health unit said in a statement. “Those who are participating in high risk behaviours, such as anonymous sexual contact, those who have multiple partners and unprotected sex should visit their doctor routinely, at least every six months, for testing of sexually transmitted infections.”
In Simcoe County there is a similar trend. The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit says in 2014, there were 118 cases of gonorrhea. That is up from 2013, where there were 68 cases. So far this year, the health unit is reporting 51 cases.
Gonorrhea is a bacterial infection that can cause long term complications such as sterility.
