New HIV infections continue decreasing in Long Beach, while congenital syphilis is on the rise.
That’s according to a report the city released late Friday, Jan. 24, which looked at the rate of STD infections in 2018, the most recent annual data available.
There were 96 new cases of HIV in 2018, down from 107 in 2017 and 125 in 2016. But there were 10 cases of congenital syphilis in 2017, up from four in 2017 and five in 2016.
Chlamydia cases dropped, while gonorrhea and late latent syphilis cases slightly increased. Total early syphilis cases remained stable year-over-year.
“While the 2018 STD/HIV Surveillance Report data show a stabilization in STD rates, these rates continue to be high after significant increases in the past five years,” Long Beach City Health Officer Anissa Davis said in a statement. “The report highlights the continued need to proactively offer testing and treatment for STDs in order to keep people and their babies healthy.”
Officials said the increase in congenital syphilis, in which syphilis is transmitted from a mother to her baby during pregnancy, is “a key concern in Long Beach,” but the city is not alone in facing that challenge.
California as a whole has experienced a more than 750% increase in congenital syphilis cases from 2012 to 2017.
Long Beach’s Health and Human Services Department said early prenatal care and STD testing are essential for preventing congenital syphilis.
The news came as Long Beach continues work on a three-year plan to reduce STDs throughout the city. Mayor Robert Garcia announced the plan in May due to the city’s disproportionately high rates of HIV infection and skyrocketing rates of other STDs.
Among other goals, Garcia said at the time, the city would seek $2 million to address the healthcare crisis, train 100 healthcare providers every year on standards of care, and expand access to HIV prevention medication by training 500 service and medical providers on those medicines.
As part of the effort, the City Council approved the creation of two new positions for HIV and STD testing and outreach in the 2020 budget.
Garcia said on Friday that the 2018 report shows Long Beach is headed in the right direction, but challenges still lie ahead.
“Reducing new HIV infections is critical to public health,” he said in a statement. “We are making great progress, but there is still a lot of work ahead to ensure that all STDs are treated and that preventative measures are in place.”
The Health and Human Services Department has created an STD hotline for community members and medical providers: 562-570-4321.
