2020 Sexually Transmitted Diseases Go Down But Not Why You Think

In February of 2019, the El Paso Department of Public Health released a scary statistic. Department officials said the number of people with a sexually transmitted disease had reached a 10-year high in El Paso. New cases of STDs in 2017 were up 11 percent over 2016, and 62 percent from 2007. That is a lot of unprotected sex and a lot of people having to deal with the fallout of sexually transmitted diseases.

Local officials say the increase in STDs is happening because El Paso has a large population of young, single people who are not necessarily in monogamous relationships. All those young, single people are having sex and not using condoms. Gross. People, people, people, please use a condom every time you have sex. Every time you have unprotected sex with someone, you are having unprotected sex with every person that person had unprotected sex with, and no hot shower is going to wash off a sexually transmitted disease.

Because of the pandemic, there was a slight decrease in the number of reported sexually transmitted diseases but not because people were having less unprotected sex. El Paso Public Health Director Angela Mora said it is because people were not going to get tested because of the pandemic. So what are the symptoms of STDs?

Symptoms of chlamydia:
Pain or burning while peeing.
Pain during sex.
Lower belly pain.
Abnormal vaginal discharge (may be yellowish and have a strong smell)
Bleeding between periods.
Pus or a watery/milky discharge from the penis.
Swollen or tender testicles

Symptoms of gonorrhea:
Greater frequency or urgency of urination.
A pus-like discharge (or drip) from the penis (white, yellow, beige, or greenish).
Swelling or redness at the opening of the penis.
Swelling or pain in the testicles.
A persistent sore throat.

Seriously, why aren't you using condoms?? You can contact the El Paso Public Health Department for information about getting tested for STDs. You can click here for their contact information.

Wear a condom.