Syphilis spreads in Japan at record pace

TOKYO, July 14 ------ Syphilis is spreading at a record pace in Japan as more than 5,000 cases of the sexually transmitted disease have been diagnosed in the first half of this year, according to a survey by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases.

The number of cases is expected to jump to at least 10,000 this year and surpass last year’s figure of 7,983, the record high under the current survey method, which was adopted in 1999. According to preliminary figures the institute releases weekly, the number of syphilis cases reported totaled 5,615, compared with 3,429 over the same period last year.

Source: inquirer.net