STI CASES REACH ‘TEN-YEAR HIGH’ IN WA

Credit: Envato Elements.

Syphilis cases in Western Australia have reached a ten-year high, particularly amongst Indigenous people.

For every case of syphilis in a non-Aboriginal person, there are 17 cases for Aboriginal people, prompting an urgent rollout of public health messaging from WA Health.

Gonorrhoea was the second most commonly notified STI in WA, with a notification rate higher in the Kimberley region than in other parts of the State, and was 12 times more common among Aboriginal people compared to non-Aboriginal people.

The Department of Health’s Sexual Health Program Manager Lisa Bastian said it is extremely important people go to be tested for STIs by their local GPs or Aboriginal Health Centres.

“Part of the complexity of an infection like syphilis is people often don’t know they’ve got it,” said Ms Bastian.

“I think one of the best things you can do is use condoms to practice safe sex.”