EDMONTON — Alberta’s latest data on sexually transmitted infections will be released Tuesday.
Public health officials from Alberta Health and Alberta Health Services will provide an update in Edmonton on STI rates and outline the programs and services to reach at-risk Albertans.
Last February Alberta Heath said sexually transmitted and HIV infections continued to rise across the province, most notably in Edmonton and the north.
With the exception of syphilis, the infection rates for STIs, including chlamydia and gonorrhea, rose overall and were highest in the Northern Zone and Edmonton Zone, according to Alberta Health’s 2013 report on notifiable sexually transmitted infections. It also showed HIV rates increased for the third year in a row.
The report also showed HIV rates increased for a third year in a row.
READ MORE: HIV a growing problem in Edmonton and northern Alberta
Five months later, AHS said syphilis and gonorrhea was on the rise , with more than 110 cases of infectious syphilis reported in the first five months of 2015 — compared to 155 cases in 2014. Over 80 per cent of the cases were diagnosed among men who have sex with other men.
Earlier this year HIV Edmonton launched a provocative awareness campaign with the aim of getting more people talking about rising HIV rates. The organization said 21 per cent of Canadians with HIV don’t know their status.
READ MORE: HIV Edmonton hopes edgy awareness campaign will get people talking about rising rates
On Tuesday morning chief medical officer of health Dr. Karen Grimsrud and AHS senior medical officer of health Dr. Gerry Predy will talk about the latest data, and see how it compares to previous years.
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