Ministry of Health reports number of people with STDs reaches 10-year high in El Paso

EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14 / CBS4) –

According to the Public Health Department of El Paso, the number of people with a sexually transmitted disease has reached its highest level in 10 years in Sun City.

The Ministry of Public Health reported 7,681 new cases of STDs in 2017. This represents an increase of 11% over 2016 and 62% over 2007, according to Borderzine.

Jeannie Martinez, a nurse at the Department of Public Health in El Paso, explained the main factors that contributed to this increase.

"We have a lot of singles who are not necessarily in monogamous relationships, so the use of condoms has also declined," Martinez said. "We have increased the tests. There are more tests in progress. We spread the word and raise awareness. "

Martinez said the most common STD observed in El Paso is chlamydia, followed by gonorrhea.

Martinez told the misconception that if you had no symptoms, you are not necessarily infected with any type of disease, and he recommends people to get tested.

The El Paso MST clinic has set up a partner therapy, in which she will administer medications to the partner of a person who has been diagnosed with STDs if that person is afraid to go to the clinic. in person. If the person diagnosed has multiple partners, the clinic will provide enough medication for each partner.

Martinez said that if people were infected with an STD, they could be treated at the Ministry of Public Health of El Paso.

The department tests chlamydia, syphilis, gonorrhea, hepatitis C, HIV and AIDS.

For more information, visit the website of the Ministry of Public Health of El Paso.