Man wearing mask. – © Marek Studzinski / Pixabay
This is at least a positive consequence, perhaps even the only one, of the health crisis. With the physical distancing measures against the Covid-19, sexually transmitted diseases fell significantly last year in Norway, according to official statistics released on Thursday.
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI) thus notes a drop in 2020 of 39% of cases of gonorrhea, of 11% of cases of chlamydia and of 20% of cases of HIV. “The drop in the number of cases of sexually transmitted infections in 2020 must in all likelihood be mainly linked to anti-Covid measures with travel restrictions, social distancing and the closure of places of exit”, estimates an official of the Institute, Øivind Nilsen.
One exception: syphilis
The only exception, syphilis has progressed with an increase, described as “surprising” by the FHI, of 39% of cases. A trend that particularly affects homosexuals. “A possible explanation for the increase in syphilis among men who have sex with men, even though gonorrhea has declined markedly, may be that syphilis gives fewer symptoms, has a longer transmissibility phase. that gonorrhea and that the disease is highly contagious, ”argues Øivind Nilsen.
Norway is among the countries that have best controlled the pandemic. Since the start of the health crisis, the kingdom of 5.4 million inhabitants has recorded 125,530 cases of Covid-19, including 785 deaths. No excess mortality was observed there last year. On the contrary, the death toll fell by 73 in 2020, yet a leap year, compared to 2019, according to the national statistical institute SSB.