Fewer Kiwis contracting sexually transmitted diseases
A new report indicates that sexually transmitted disease rates in New Zealand, including syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhea, have declined. Health officials attribute this to improved prevention and testing, though they warn of emerging antibiotic-resistant strains.
Why it matters
The data provides critical public health insights into sexual health trends and the ongoing challenge of managing drug-resistant pathogens in a developed nation.
The number of New Zealanders contracting sexually transmitted diseases has fallen, a newly released report shows.
Syphilis rates have had the biggest drop - about a quarter - and have fallen everywhere except the South Island.
PHF Science analysis on the country's sexually transmitted disease rates in 2025 shows there were drops across all of the three reported diseases - gonorrhoea, chlamydia and syphilis.
Health authorities had been worried about syphilis when it spiked in 2023 but it was now on the decline.
There were 605 cases of infectious syphilis notified last year, a 27 percent drop the previous year, and the lowest rate since 2022, the report said.
The South Island did not improve on the previous year, however its rate of 11 cases per 100,000 was the same as most of the country.
The Northern region - Auckland and Northland, had 13 cases per 100,000.
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