One person an hour diagnosed with most common sexual diseases in Coventry and Warwickshire

Shocking new figures show 7,152 new diagnoses of five of the most common sexually transmitted infections in 2013

Nearly one person an hour in Coventry and Warwickshire is diagnosed with one of five of the most common sexually transmitted diseases, new data reveals.

Shocking new figures released this week by Public Health England shows that in Coventry and Warwickshire last year alone, there were 7,152 new diagnoses of five of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) – chlamydia, gonorrhoea, herpes, syphilis and genital warts.

That is equal to around 20 new diagnoses a day, or one new diagnosis nearly every hour.

The news comes a week after the Telegraph revealed that chlamydia, the most prevalent of all STIs in the 15-24 age group, is responsible for one positive test every four hours in Coventry and Warwickshire.

The new data also shows these five STIs are on the rise.

Across the West Midlands in 2013, the number of new diagnoses of chlamydia rose by three per cent, gonorrhoea went up by one per cent, syphilis soared by 21 per cent and herpes increased by two per cent.

Mick Mason, regional manager for the Terrence Higgins Trust – a sexual health charity with a centre in Coventry which is campaigning to make sex and relationships education a statutory part of the curriculum for all schools in England – believes the data proves sex education “is not fit for purpose”.

He said: “It is concerning to see such a marked increase in rates of syphilis in the West Midlands, which suggests that the safer sex message isn’t getting through to everyone.

“This is a further reminder that the current approach to sex education in schools is not fit for purpose, leaving too many young people unprepared for the pressures of modern relationships.”

The new data by council area shows in Coventry there were 3,567 new diagnoses of the five STIs in 2013.

There were also 3,585 new diagnoses in Warwickshire – 1,180 in Nuneaton and Bedworth, 706 in Rugby, 568 in Stratford, 777 in Warwick, and 354 in North Warwickshire.