SEXUALLY transmitted infection rates plunged in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, figures suggest.

Fewer people having sex during lockdowns and disruption to health services contributed to a steep drop in STI diagnoses in England last year, experts say.

The British Association for Sexual Health and HIV warned that the latest figures could represent "the tip of the iceberg".

Public Health England data shows 2,209 STIs were diagnosed in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole in 2020 – 25 per cent fewer than the year before.

It meant 556 in every 100,000 people in the area were infected with potentially life-changing diseases including syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia.

However, that rate was down from 2019, when 744 in 100,000 people in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole were diagnosed with an STI.

The most common infection in the area was chlamydia with 1,255 cases found in 2020. A further 317 gonorrhoea cases were diagnosed, as well as 31 of syphilis, 166 of genital herpes and 236 of genital warts.

Rebecca Jones, Dorset HealthCare’s Service Manager for Sexual Health and HIV Services, said: “We are reviewing the national 2020 Public Health England data, in conjunction with our commissioners Public Health Dorset, to fully understand what is behind the identified trends.

“The data will continue to be used to assess the impact our service has on identifying sexually transmitted infections (STIs) through testing, and on reducing STI rates.

“Fewer personal meetings while lockdown restrictions were in place undoubtedly helped to reduce the spread of STIs.

“As a service, we have also worked hard to increase access to testing for local people. In April 2020 we introduced an online STI screening service for all ages (16+) through our partner SH:24, which provides free STI testing and results.

“This links back to our sexual health services, which can provide expert follow-up treatment and support, as required, in one of the clinics we run across Dorset. This new addition to our service has proved very successful so far, with high levels of positive patient feedback.”

Dr John McSorley, president of BASHH, said the national drop in diagnoses highlighted the "stark and concerning" impact Covid-19 has had on sexual health services.

He added: "Whilst a drop in the number of new infections appears positive, it is important to remember that England entered the Covid pandemic with the highest rates of some STIs since the Second World War.

"This data therefore likely represents the tip of the iceberg.

"STIs haven't gone away, chains of infections haven't been broken."

He urged people to come forward for testing, saying sexually transmitted infections could have life-changing consequences.

Dr Katy Sinka, from PHE, said: "No one wants to swap social distancing for an STI, and as we enjoy the fact that national Covid-19 restrictions have lifted, it’s important that we continue to look after our sexual health and wellbeing.

"If you are having sex with new or casual partners, use a condom and get tested.

"STIs can pose serious consequences to your own health and that of your current or future sexual partners.”

The national drop reflects a combination of reduced STI testing as a result of pandemic-influenced disruption to sexual health services and changes in sexual behaviour since March 2020, according to a PHE report.

It said testing and diagnosis decreased across all infections during the first year of the coronavirus pandemic, but sexual health services continued to diagnose hundreds of thousands of infections after scaling up telephone and internet consultations during lockdown periods.

Face-to-face appointments for urgent or complex cases also continued in that time.