The number of reported cases of chlamydia and gonorrhea increased significantly in the second half of 2022. This is shown by the numbers from monitoring of sexually transmitted diseases reported to the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI) in 2022.

FHI does not rule out the possibility that this turmoil has something to do with the reopening of society, after the numbers were low during the pandemic.

– Since August 2022, the number of reported cases of chlamydia is higher than in previous years. This coincides with a corresponding increase in gonorrhea among young infected heterosexuals, and may be due to increased social contact following the reopening of society, said senior physician Anne Olaug Olsen at FHI.

The chief medical officer pointed out that reporting and monitoring criteria have also changed, which may help explain some of the increase.

In 2022, 29,271 cases of chlamydia were reported – a clear increase compared to the 23,447 cases reported during the 2021 pandemic year. The 2022 figure is at the same level as the 2019 record, reports FHI.

Women make up the majority (58 per cent) of cases, while young people under the age of 25 are highly represented (67 per cent) in the chlamydia statistics. Among those who tested themselves for chlamydia, the majority were also women (69 percent).

Senior physician Anne Olaug Olsen has a clear calling:

– Increased use of condoms is critical to limiting the spread of chlamydia and gonorrhea. At the same time, it is very important to have good infection control guidelines and thorough infection tracking in each case, said Olsen.

Gonorrhea will also increase sharply in 2022. Last year, FHI recorded 1,857 cases compared to 555 cases in 2021. The increase was especially large among young women compared to the situation before the pandemic.

Syphilis and HIV rates will also increase from 2021 to 2022.