It may be home to iconic landmarks like the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace, but the City of Westminster now has another claim to fame.
Residents of the London borough has the highest rates in England for not one, but three, major STIs, with more cases of syphilis, gonorrhoea and genital warts per 100,000 people than anywhere else in the country.
Most prevalent is gonorrhoea, otherwise known as ‘the clap’ or ‘drip’, with a whopping 749 cases, suggesting some Westminster locals may have skipped their lessons on safe sex.
The city-centre location was also found to have 135 cases of genital warts per 100,000 people, caused by HPV, while syphilis came in at 125 cases.
With a population of 247,614, that means 1,855 have had gonorrhoea infections, 334 have had genital warts, and 310 have had syphillis.
But it’s not just the inhabitants of Westminster who need a refresher course on wrapping up. Islington has the highest prevalence of genital herpes in the country at 131 cases per 100,000 people.
The so-called ‘chlamydia capital’ is further afield, with Liverpool far exceeding the national average at 2,719 cases per 100,000 people. Given the city has population of 864,122, that equates to more than 21,000 infected residents.
Data on England’s 50 most populous towns and cities, collected from the Department of Health and Social Care, shows where infected individuals live, rather than where they were diagnosed.
So by comparing the figures of infection per 100,000 residents to the areas overall population, Condoms UK was able to rank the top 10 STI hotspots and create a risk index highlighting where you’re most likely to pick up an unwanted infection.
Despite Westminster having the highest rates of three common STIs, it’s Islington where you’re most likely to catch something overall, with a risk index score of 94 out of 100.
Second is the London area of Archway with a score of 90, followed by Blackpool with a score of 89.
Westminster is next with a score of 88, while Manchester takes the fifth spot with 84.
In the Midlands, Nottingham scored 83 to come in sixth, followed by Liverpool (81), Croydon (80), and lastly Leeds and Newcastle Upon Tyne with the same score of 68.
How can I tell if I have an STI?
The simple answer here is to make sure you get tested at a sexual health clinic regularly if you’re having sex.
But it’s also important to keep an eye on any STI symptoms regardless – and here’s what to look out for.
Gonorrhoea symptoms usually start around two weeks after infection, but they can lie dormant for months, or you could even be symptomless.
For women, keep an eye out for telltale signs like yellow or greenish discharge, burning when you pee, pain in your abdomen, and bleeding between periods.
Men could have sore testicles, fluid or discharge coming out of your penis and burning when you pee.
It’s spread through unprotected sex -including oral – but can be treated with antibiotics. Visit your GP or local sexual health clinic if you’re concerned.
Syphilis symptoms can be mild, but you should look for small sores or white and grey warty growths on your penis, vagina or bottom. White patches or sores in your mouth, flu-like symptoms, swollen glands and even patchy hair loss or a rash on your hands and feet can also be indicators.
It can take three weeks or more for the symptoms of syphilis to appear, and it needs to be treated with antibiotics in the form of injections or tablets.
Genital warts are small, rough lumps on the skin around the vagina, on the penis, or around the anus or perineum. Groups of these warts can look like cauliflowers, and they can be white, red, skin-coloured or darker.
They don’t always need treatment and sometimes clear up on their own but you should consult with a doctor rather than leaving them untreated.
While Chlamydia is often symptomless, this is not always the case. For women it can cause abnormal vaginal discharge, bleeding after sex or between periods, burning when you pee, or abdominal pain.
For men it’s white, cloudy or watery discharge from the tip of your penis, burning or itching around your testicles and penis, pain and swelling in your balls or a burning sensation when you wee.
It needs to be treated with antibiotics and you may need to be retested to check it has gone.
Genital herpes symptoms include small blisters that burst and leave red open sores around your genitals, anus, or thighs. Tingling, burning or itching around your genitals, pain when you pee and unusual discharge are also signs of the STI.
Symptoms might not appear for weeks or even years after you’re infected with the herpes virus, and there is no cure. Sometimes it’ll resolve on its own, but the blisters can come back.
If you’re experiencing any of the above, always visit a sexual health clinic and seek advice from a medical professional.
Source: NHS
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