High North News

Record Number of Gonorrhoea Cases in Iceland

Trine Jonassen
health diseases std sexually transmitted diseases

According to RUV, the proportion of people diagnosed with gonorrhoea in Iceland is almost three times as high as in other European countries. Chief Epidemiologist Guðrún Aspelund says it is important for people to be diagnosed as early as possible.

During the first nine months of this year, 283 people were diagnosed with gonorrhoea in Iceland, the highest number in 40 years. This represents an increase of almost 20% compared with last year and a fivefold increase since 2021.

That equates to 72 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, considerably higher than the European average of 27 per 100,000.

Of those diagnosed so far this year, 88%, or 249 people, were men, while 12%, or 34, were women. The largest increase this year has been among men aged 30 and over.

People of all ages are being diagnosed with gonorrhoea, but the largest number of cases is among those aged 30–44. Of those diagnosed this year, 57% have Icelandic citizenship.

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