Sexually transmitted infections on rise in Bromley

By Lachlan Leeming, Local Government Reporter

The number of people with sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis has risen in Bromley over the past four years, according to a new report.

But the number with herpes has fallen.

The new statistics come after an assessment of sexual health in the borough, which will be presented to members of Bromley council’s health and well-being board later this month.

The figures show that Bromley now ranks as the 51st highest for syphilis infections out of 326 local authorities in England, while it is ranked 64th in the country for gonorrhoea.

The news is based on figures collected in the borough which show that rates of gonorrhoea (a 71.2 per cent increase) and syphilis (27.4 per cent increase) jumped from 2014 to 2018.

“It should be noted that if high rates of gonorrhoea and syphilis are observed in a population, this reflects high levels of risky sexual behaviour,” the report states.

Rates of chlamydia diagnosis increased by three per cent in that time.

But Bromley has a lower rate than the London average for five STIs – including chlamydia, gonorrhoea, genital herpes, genital warts and syphilis.

The number of people infected in Bromley has dropped in the same time for genital herpes (down by 11.5 per cent) and genital warts (down 36.3 per cent).