Health officials in New Hampshire are warning residents about a current outbreak of gonorrhea after the state health department received 465 reports of the sexually transmitted disease in 2016, marking a 250 percent increase from the previous baseline.
The health department is encouraging sexually active individuals to meet with their healthcare provider and get tested for STDs.
"New Hampshire historically has had one of the lowest rates of gonorrhea infections in the country; however, over the last year we have seen a significant increase in the number of reported cases," said State Epidemiologist Benjamin Chan, MD. "We are actively working to identify individuals who may have been exposed to gonorrhea in order to connect them with testing and treatment. We are also asking healthcare providers and patients with gonorrhea to help connect sex partners with medical care for evaluation and treatment of gonorrhea infection."
According to the CDC, gonorrhea is the second most commonly reported STD in the U.S. and rates of transmission hit record highs in 2015. The agency cites corroding prevention efforts as the primary cause behind this increase.
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