A troubling report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that Mississippi’s sexually transmitted infection rates are alarmingly high compared to other states.
On Tuesday, the CDC released its 2022 STI Surveillance Report with the Magnolia State ranking two to three times higher than the national average when it comes to individuals being diagnosed with the various diseases.
Here’s where Mississippi ranked in each of the major STI categories studied by the federal health department:
- Chlamydia — 22,968 cases (second-highest in the nation)
- Gonorrhea — 10,933 cases (highest in the nation)
- Syphilis — 913 cases (fifth-highest in the nation)
- Congenital syphilis — 73 cases (sixth highest in the nation)
In response to these numbers, the Mississippi State Department of Health is offering free HIV and syphilis testing and is encouraging residents to practice safety while also avoiding activities that could spread STIs.
