Canadian health officials: Spread holiday cheer, not gonorrhea

Nov. 27--If you're trying to think of what to get for the person who has everything this holiday season, Canadian health officials ask that you scratch gonorrhea off the list.

The New Brunswick Department of Health tweeted a message to Canucks warning them to be careful of what they put in their stockings.

"This holiday season spread holiday cheer, not gonorrhea," the tweet said. "(Did you know) that New Brunswick is still experiencing a provincial gonorrhea outbreak?"

The tweet included a link advising citizens on how to treat and avoid the STD described by the Mayo Clinic as a common "infection caused by a sexually transmitted bacterium" that affects men and women. Its symptoms include painful urination. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it can be treated with medication.

According to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, 96 cases of gonorrhea were reported in the north east province last year. In the five years prior, a total of 54 cases were recorded. There were 20 reports of gonorrhea in New Brunswick during the first three months of 2019.

Health officials said that number could be on the rise because more people are being tested across the province, which they call a positive thing.

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