DIAGNOSES of sexually transmitted infections across Cumbria and Lancashire have decreased, figures show.

The statistics released by Public Health England today reveal numbers have gone down by 4.2 per cent between 2011 and last year.

In 2011, 7,000 new STI cases were confirmed, with this dropping to 6,705 in 2012.

However, syphilis diagnoses increased by 31 per cent and those for gonorrhoea rose 23.1 per cent.

The age group across the region with the highest numbers of cases remains the 20-34 year olds in both men and women.

Dr Jane Rossini, centre director at the Public Health England Cumbria and Lancashire centre, said: “The data shows more and more people are doing the right thing to protect themselves but more remains to be done too.

“These data show people are continuing to have unsafe sex, put themselves at risk of STIs and the serious consequences associated with infection, including infertility. Ongoing investment in programmes to increase sexual health awareness, condom use and testing, particularly for groups at most risk, is vital.

“There have been significant improvements in screening in recent years, particularly for gonorrhoea and chlamydia among young adults and men who have sex with men, so we are diagnosing and treating more infections than ever before.

“We must ensure chlamydia screening remains widely available. Local authorities should continue to integrate chlamydia screening into broader health services for younger adults. This will also help this age group develop positive relationships with services, enabling them to develop and maintain good sexual health throughout their lives.”