Hundreds of gonorrhoea cases recorded in Milton Keynes

Milton Keynes' infection rate was up by 19 per cent after 188 infections were reported a year earlier in 2018.

The 2019 figure of 224 cases is the highest number since comparable local records began in 2012.

Milton Keynes had a gonorrhoea infection rate of 83 per 100,000 people – above the south east's average rate of 74. Across England as a whole, 126 in every 100,000 people were infected with gonorrhoea last year.

Gonorrhoea is the second most common bacterial STI in the UK after chlamydia and can sometimes be symptomless.

Sexual health experts say the large rise in gonorrhoea diagnoses nationally is worrying, with the sexually transmitted infection (STI) becoming more resistant to antibiotics over time.

Dr Hamish Mohammed, national lead for sexually transmitted infection surveillance at PHE, said: “The considerable rise of gonorrhoea cases in England as well as the continued rise of other STIs is concerning.

“It is important to emphasise that STIs can pose serious consequences to health.

“We expect to see further cases of antibiotic resistant gonorrhoea in the future, which will be challenging for healthcare professionals to manage.”

In Milton Keynes, overall STI cases fell to 1,803 last year, down by 3 per cent from 1,856 in 2018. Across England, cases rose by 5 per cent.

PHE said the national rise was likely to be due to people not using condoms correctly and consistently with new and casual partners, and an increase in testing helping improve detection of the most common infections.

Cases across England rose by 26 per cent in 2019 to 70,936 – the highest number since records began in 1918.

Dr John McSorley, president of the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, said the year-on-year rise in STI diagnoses is 'hugely concerning'.

He said: "This year we have seen how crucial investment in public health services is to support the well-being of populations more widely, and we must consider how we can continue to improve access to services for all those who need them and those at the highest risk."

PHE said it is analysing the data to understand the impact of the Covid-19 response on HIV and STI services and the effect of social distancing measures on the spread of STIs.

Ian Green, chief executive of sexual health charity the Terrence Higgins Trust, said the figures show the 'ongoing inaction and lack of vision for improving the nation’s sexual health'.

He said: "Rates of sexually transmitted infections like gonorrhoea and syphilis are rising significantly while sexual health services are over-burdened and under-funded."

Mr Green said as people start to have sex again in the wake of the coronavirus lockdown, access to testing and treatment should be 'scaled up in parallel'.

Chlamydia was the most commonly diagnosed infection last year, with 229,411 – or nearly half – of all new STI diagnoses in 2019.