News

A campaign aimed at educating young people about the risks of sexually transmitted diseases was launched yesterday by the government to coincide with Valentines Day with advertisements in tabloid newspapers, lifestyle magazines and on radio and on-line media. Spoof valentines cards are to be distributed at clubs, warning of the risks.

Sexually transmitted diseases are on the increase, especially among 18 to 30 year olds. There was an increase of 139 per cent in cases of chlamydia between 1996 and 2002, and gonorrhoea cases rose by 9 per cent in one year. The highest rates of gonorrhoea are in young women under 20, and men aged 20 to 24. The number of cases of syphilis has rocketed, with a 67 per cent increase from 717 cases to 1193 cases from 2001 to  2002.