Minnesota Reports Modest Drop in STD Cases Last Year

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St. Paul, MN (KROC-AM News) - Statistics show there was a modest drop in the number of sexually transmitted diseases diagnosed in Minnesota last year but health officials caution the COVID-19 pandemic may have skewed the numbers.

A news release from the Minnesota Department of Health says the overall number of STD cases reported in the state last year was down one percent from 2019 at 33,252. Chlamydia cases dropped 11 percent, syphilis cases fell 3 percent, but the state reported a 27 percent increase in new gonorrhea cases. The report notes the drop in chlamydia cases was the first reported since 2009 but also says the disruption in testing and services caused by the pandemic may have affected the accuracy of the statistics.

The State Health Department reported an overall drop of 18 percent in the number of newly diagnosed HIV infections. 226 cases were reported in 2020 and it’s estimated that just over 9400 Minnesotans are currently living with HIV/AIDS.

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