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Department of Health officials on
Monday urged residents to continue to practice safe sex, citing a rise in sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) infection rates in the Virgin Islands.
STDs include Chlamydia and Gonorrhea, sexually transmitted bacteria that affect both men and women. In women, untreated gonorrhea or Chlamydia can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), a serious infection of the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. This, in turn, can cause infertility, tubal pregnancy, and chronic pain.
Department of Health officials are sounding the alarm in advance of World Aids Day, an event designed to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS, and celebrated nationwide annually on December 1.
Health Commissioner Julia Sheen said that the timing of the World Aids Day Celebration awareness campaign is timely and that while the Department has seen a decrease in the number of reported HIV cases this year in comparison to this time last year, the STD infection rates has increased.
“At our clinics, we are seeing marked increases in STD infections,’’ Sheen said. “This tells us that many are not heeding the message about the importance of condom use and these unsafe practices open the door for the transmission of HIV.”
Gritell Martinez, STD/HIV/TB Director, said that any new case of STD or HIV is grim and the Department reminds residents that it is illegal for those infected not to inform their partners of their status under V.I. law.
“It's very important to note that many men and women with gonorrhea and Chlamydia present no symptoms at all,” Martinez said. “When this is the case, diagnosis is made only if the person routinely gets screened for STDs or if a partner with the infection tells them to get checked.”
The law also requires HIV infected patients to notify needle sharing partners of their infection, refrain from sex unless condoms are used and prohibits them from donating or selling blood, Martinez said.
This year’s World Aids Day theme is “Universal Access & Human Rights” through tackling HIV prejudice and stepping up protective measures against HIV transmission.
Residents, who would like to know their STD or HIV status, can do so via testing at a STD/HIV/TB clinic in each district. Tests are provided from 8 am to 5:00 pm weekdays and residents can call 774-3168 on St. Thomas and 773-1311 ext. 3117/ 3063 on St. Croix. Residents can also learn more about STDs or HIV/AIDS by visiting:
www.healthvi.org. |
