(The Center Square) – New Mexico is a national leader in cases of sexually transmitted infections, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control.
The CDC measured the instances of congenital syphilis, syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea across the country in 2022, and the STIs were more common in New Mexico than they were in most other states.
For example, New Mexico disproportionately had issues with syphilis.
Its rate of 355.3 congenital syphilis cases per 100,000 live births was the highest in the country, while it ranked second in its primary and secondary syphilis rate (36 per 100,000 people).
The chlamydia infection rate in New Mexico was also well above the national average; it had 528.6 cases per 100,000 people, ranking 13th out of 50 states.
The state even ranked 20th in its reported gonorrhea rate (196.7 per 100,000 residents), beating 30 other states.
“As STI services and related resources continue to rebound from the U.S. COVID-19 pandemic and mpox outbreak, we must act now to mobilize and execute a whole-of-nation approach if we hope to turn the tide,” the report from the CDC said.
