The Houston Health Department reported a syphilis outbreak for a 128 percent increase in cases among women.
The department will launch a rapid outreach response, including increased screening, targeting hot spots and mobilizing community partners, according to a July 13 agency news release. The also department is waiving all clinical fees for sexually transmitted infections at its health centers.
Here are two more things to know:
- Congenital syphilis in Houston and Harris County have risen ninefold, from 16 cases in 2016 to 151 in 2021.
- There has been a 57 percent increase in new infections between 2019 and 2022.