People urged to practise safe sex following rise in STIs

A call has gone out for people to practice safe sex amid concern about high sexually transmitted infection (STI) rates in Thames Valley.

New figures released today by Public Health England (PHE) revealed new STI diagnoses have decreased by 1.27 percent in 2012 to 13,173.

But experts say more must be done to ensure the amount of STI's are lowered even further.

Director of the Thames Valley PHE, Dr James Mapstone, said: "There have been significant improvements in screening in recent years, particularly for gonorrhoea and Chlamydia among young adults and men who have sex with men, so we are diagnosing and treating more infections than ever before.

"However, these data show too many people are continuing to have unsafe sex, put themselves at risk of STIs and the serious consequences associated with infection, including infertility.”

The figures revealed Chlamydia remained the most commonly diagnosed STI with more than 5,000 cases diagnosed last year but considerable numbers of genital warts and genital herpes infections were also reported.

Dr Mapstone urged for more youngsters to get screened for HIV and STIs as it can lead to early diagnosis and treatment.