Overview

• Early-stage syphilis diagnoses climbed 2% to 9,535 in 2024 while overall cases, including late-stage infections, rose 5% to 13,030, according to UKHSA data.
• Stoke-on-Trent recorded a record 72 syphilis diagnoses in 2024, surpassing its previous high of 68 in 2023.
• Dr Hamish Mohammed urged annual STI and HIV screening for anyone having condomless sex with new or casual partners to curb transmission.
• The UK will launch its first gonorrhoea vaccine programme in August to tackle rising antibiotic-resistant infections.
• Symptoms often emerge weeks after exposure and may include painless genital sores, rashes on the palms and flu-like signs, making timely diagnosis critical.