EDMONTON — Alberta health officials say online hookup sites and anonymous sexual partners have contributed to an increase of sexually transmitted diseases to outbreak levels. Syphilis and gonorrhea numbers continue to be high in the province, along with other sexually transmitted infections. That includes continued universal syphilis screening for all pregnant women and increasing tests available to pregnant women. Alberta Health says that as of Oct. 31, there had been 3,869 cases of gonorrhea, compared with just over 3,700 in all of 2016. Hinshaw said the highest rate of sexual infections is in 15- to 26-year-olds, but no group is immune if sexually active and not using protection.

Source: National Post November 14, 2017 23:15 UTC