OVERALL cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the West Midlands rose last year, according to official figures.

Public Health England (PHE) has provided data which shows the figures behind a report on all STI diagnoses and services by gender and sexual risk at a regional level.

In the West Midlands, 4,796 heterosexual men tested for Chlamydia in 2015. In 2019, this rose to 5,068.

In regard to the data for men who have sex with men (MSM), the figures almost doubled in comparison from 2015 to 2019.

Five years ago, 646 MSM tested for Chlamydia, and in 2019, 1,131 tested for the disease.

The rate of Chlamydia also increased in heterosexual women between the years. In 2015, 5,554 tested for the STI, whereas in 2019 this rose drastically to 8,110.

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For women who have sex with women (WSW), seven people tested for Chlamydia, this increased to 10 in 2019.

The number of Chlamydia cases diagnosed in the West Midlands for MSM in 2019 reached its highest during the five year period, as did the cases for heterosexual women.

Cases of Gonorrhoea in heterosexual men rose to 1,908 in 2019, an increase from 1,102 in 2015.

For MSM, there was an increase, rising from 973 in 2015 to 1,557 in 2019.

For heterosexual women, 1,190 tested for Gonorrhoea, which rose to 2,216 four years later. WSW saw cases double, from two in 2015, to four in 2019.

Overall cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in England rose last year, with 468,342 diagnoses reported, up by 5% from 447,522 in 2018.

Chlamydia was again the most commonly diagnosed STI, with 229,411 - or nearly half - of all new STI diagnoses in 2019.

Among young people aged 15 to 24, the number of chlamydia tests rose 2% compared with 2018.

A total of 1,339,931 tests for infection were carried out in this age group - a 13% decline from 2015.

The total number of consultations at sexual health services in England increased by 7% between 2018 and 2019, from 3,613,447 to 3,852,121.PHE said it is analysing data received this year to understand the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic response on the provision of STI services and the effect that social distancing measures may have had on the epidemiology of STIs.