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Spain Leads Europe’s Record Gonorrhoea, Syphilis Spike

5/21/2026

45 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

ECDC Reports Surge

European health agencies reported record gonorrhoea (37,169 cases) and syphilis (11,556 cases) in Spain for 2024.
ECDC recorded 106,331 gonorrhoea cases—a 303% rise since 2015—and 45,577 syphilis notifications, more than double 2015 levels.
Data show that congenital syphilis rose from 78 to 140 cases, men who have sex with men accounted for over half of infections, and ECDC urged condom use, testing and expanded prevention programmes.

Summary

Cyprus Reports Surge

Cyprus recorded 93 syphilis cases in 2024, up from previous years, alongside 22 chlamydia and 21 gonorrhoea cases, according to ECDC data.
The report warns that low STI numbers in small countries like Cyprus may conceal actual rates because testing and reporting differ.
Chlamydia was Europe's most common STI in 2024 with over 213,000 cases, while gonorrhoea rose above 106,000, raising antimicrobial-resistance concerns.

Summary

ECDC Calls FreeTesting

Thirteen of twenty-nine EU/EEA countries still charge out-of-pocket fees for basic STI diagnostics, creating financial barriers.
National STI prevention strategies are deemed outdated because they fail to reflect post-COVID-19 changes in social behavior and healthcare use.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control says improving free testing access and updating policies is essential to curb the rising STI epidemic.

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ECDC Reports Surge

European health agencies reported record gonorrhoea (37,169 cases) and syphilis (11,556 cases) in Spain for 2024.
ECDC recorded 106,331 gonorrhoea cases—a 303% rise since 2015—and 45,577 syphilis notifications, more than double 2015 levels.
Data show that congenital syphilis rose from 78 to 140 cases, men who have sex with men accounted for over half of infections, and ECDC urged condom use, testing and expanded prevention programmes.

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