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Alberta spending more on STI awareness

Gonorrhea, a STI
Drug resistant gonorrhea culture are shown under a microscope lens. Ho/Canadian Press

EDMONTON – The Alberta government says the rate for some sexually transmitted infections continues to increase despite a $2 million public awareness campaign in 2011.

Alberta Health says it is spending $1.6 million this fall on a new round of media ads aimed at young adults that promotes safer sex.

The government says the infection rates for gonorrhea and chlamydia are up.

The campaign includes TV, online and cinema ads as well as posters in bars.

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Dr. James Talbot, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, says more needs to be done to reduce infection rates and encourage people to change their behaviour.

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Alberta Health says while overall STI rates are up, the number of reported syphilis cases dropped last year, and more people are getting tested.

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