SPOKANE, Wash.- The Spokane Regional Health District offered a webinar on Feb. 14 informing the public of increased syphilis cases across the county.
Spokane County Health Board Officer Dr. Francisco Velazquez hosted the informational session which was posted to social media.
“I think it is important that we all have the facts about a disease that is increasing not only in our community but also across the county,” Velazquez said.
Syphilis cases have risen in Spokane over the past several years, with a peak of over 250 cases in 2019. Velazquez emphasized that the ailment is not confined to a specific population.
“We’ve started to see more of a spread in the heterosexual population…increases in younger people, women of child-bearing age, and unfortunately we’ve seen a few cases of congenital syphilis,” Velazquez said.
The Health District’s preliminary 2023 data shows double the amount of primary and secondary syphilis cases from the year prior, and there have already been two cases of congenital syphilis in 2024.
The health official emphasized that the infection can be treated with antibiotics, and that sexually active persons should get tested at least once a year.
