Cases of infectious syphilis have increased in the past year by 45% , with 736 cases reported in New Zealand in 2023. It’s the highest number of cases ever recorded in the Institute of Environmental Science and Research’s (ESR) yearly STI surveillance reports, up from 508 cases the previous year, according to a release from the New Zealand Sexual Health Society. The report shows case numbers have nearly doubled among gay and bisexual men, while the numbers also show a rise in cases among women of reproductive age.
The rates of infection for Māori and Pasifika people were double those of other ethnicities. Auckland, Waikato and Canterbury have seen the most infections - and experts say there are likely many more cases that have gone unreported. Infectious disease and sexual health doctor Massimo Giola told RNZ this week, “It is alarming, and unfortunately I think this is just the tip of the iceberg, so the problem out there is even bigger.
First of all because not all syphilis cases are notifiable, and ESR only records the notifiable cases, so my best guess is [there’s] probably two to three times more syphilis around than those numbers indicate.”.