The Clinical Nurse Manager at TUS Midlands Sexual Health Service is advising people to get tested.
The rise of casual hooks-up is contributing to an increase in the number of STIs.
Laura Tully, Clinical Nurse Manager at TUS Midlands Sexual Health Service, also says most sexual transmitted infections have no symptoms.
New figures from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre found STIs have risen by 76% so far in 2023 compared to the same period last year
Over 3,200 cases have been recorded in the first seven weeks of this year, with Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea and genital herpes the most common infections.
Ms. Tully says there's a combination of factors that could be contributing to the rise in the number of cases:
Stephen O'Hare from HIV Ireland says one of the reasons is the release of free home testing kits:
Sexual Health specialist Dr Derek Freedman advises testing outside home kits:
Dublin, Wicklow and Kildare accounted for more than half of overall positive detections.
UCD Welfare Officer Míde Nic Fhionnlaoich has this advice for those with STI issues:
Free Home testing kites can be ordered online at sh24.ie.
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