When Alberta’s chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw declared a provincial syphilis outbreak last week following a huge spike in cases of the infectious disease over the past year, it signalled a need for prompt government action.
More than 1,500 cases of infectious syphilis were reported in the province in 2018, representing a massive increase from 2014 totals of 161.
In the Central Alberta zone, which includes this region, there were 88 reported cases, an increase of 266 per cent compared to two years ago.
Provincewide, the rate of syphilis infection hasn’t been this high in more than 70 years.
With the potential to cause life-altering injury or even death, syphilis is one of the most insidious infectious diseases known today.
“We need to emphasize for all Albertans: sexually transmitted infections are a risk to anyone who is sexually active, particularly people who have new sex partners and are not using protection. I encourage anyone who is sexually active to get tested regularly,” said Dr. Hinshaw.
By declaring an outbreak, the provincial outbreak coordination committee composed of Alberta Health, Alberta Health Services and other provincial health officials is now activated.
Over the next 90 days the committee will “develop a coordinated strategy and determine concrete action to increase sexually transmitted infection testing, encourage public awareness and reduce the overall number of syphilis cases in the province.”
Health-care officials and other stakeholders have taken numerous actions over the past few years to address the steady increase in syphilis cases.
Those efforts have included providing one-time grants totalling $2 million since 2017 to combat increasing rates of STIs through increased awareness and education, reducing stigma and increasing testing and treatment.
Yet despite those efforts, rates of syphilis continue to increase at an alarming rate.
By declaring a provincial outbreak, health officials are sending a message that more needs to be done.
Hopefully the new UCP government, in charge of funding health care in this province, will take the lead in addressing this ongoing public health crisis.
- Singleton is the Mountain View Gazette editor
