The number of cases of gonorrhea in Quebec has nearly doubled in the past six years.
Quebec's public health board (INSPQ) reports that last year more than 2,500 cases of gonorrhea were confirmed by laboratories in Quebec in 2012 -- whereas in 2006 there were just 1,300 incidences of the sexually transmitted disease in the province.
Most of those cases were detected in Montreal, with another spike in disease transmission in Nunavik. That means more than 30 people out of 100,000 Quebecers were diagnosed with gonorrhea last year.
The number of cases of gonorrhea has been steadily increasing since 1997, when it was at a low of 485 cases in Quebec.
The public health agency is also worried about signs the disease is becoming resistant to antibiotics, and is publicizing the use of new drugs if standard treatments are ineffective.
Gonorrhea symptoms generally appear two to seven days after exposure, and consist of burning when urinating and strange fluids leaking from genitals. If left untreated it can cause severe testicular pain and problems with the heart.
If transmitted through oral sex it usually does not produce any immediate symptoms, but can eventually cause skin pustules and other problems.
With a file from The Canadian Press
