The Windsor Essex County Health Unit is reporting a rise in syphilis cases within the area.
Just 10 years ago, in 2016, there were only 16 reported cases of syphilis. Fast forward to 2025, and that number has jumped to 122 confirmed cases.
A report from Public Health Ontario indicates that this region has a higher rate of syphilis infections compared to the rest of the province. In 2024, Ontario saw 18 cases per 100,000 people overall, while Windsor-Essex recorded 21.1 cases per 100,000 residents.
Dr. Mehdi Aloosh, the Medical Officer of Health, stated that this trend is quite concerning.
“Syphilis is not just a sexually transmitted disease; it can be an infection of the brain, eye, heart, and can kill people, unfortunately, if left untreated,” said Dr. Aloosh.
He also pointed out that the rise in syphilis cases correlates with an alarming increase in babies being born with congenital syphilis.
“For decades, we didn’t have a case of congenital syphilis in Windsor-Essex,” noted Dr. Aloosh. “We started seeing that in 2022.”
Congenital syphilis occurs when a child is born infected with the virus and can lead to lifelong disabilities.
Dr. Aloosh advises all sexually active individuals to get tested regularly.
“Get tested regularly for not only syphilis but other sexually transmitted diseases if you are sexually active or have multiple partners or new partners. Just keep it part of your regular health and well-being checkups,” said Dr. Aloosh.
He emphasized that education, monitoring, and treatment could help reduce the number of cases in the area.
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