Gisborne ‘clap’ capital of North IslandNZPA | 7:07PM - Thursday, 18 February 2010The Gisborne region is "clap capital" of the North Island, according to latest figures on sexually transmitted diseases, with Hawke's Bay not far behind.
Chlamydia and gonorrhoea are not notifiable, but Environmental Science and Research is contracted by the Health Ministry to compile data from laboratory testing.
Data taken from 40 laboratories between October and December last year recorded confirmed cases of chlamydia and gonorrhoea, by age and sex.
Population-based disease rates were calculated by dividing the total number of positive tests by the populations in different district health boards, and extrapolated to annual rates.
Nelson-Marlborough, Canterbury and South Canterbury DHBs were not included in the survey.
Laboratories in the Auckland region did the most tests (33,798) for chlamydia with 8 percent positive — meaning 2690 people were exposed to the infection, which can cause pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility in women and sterility in men.
New Zealand's annualised rate of chlamydia per 100,000 population was 804, or 1161 in women and 429 in men. Annualised, Tairawhiti DHB based at Gisborne had 1273 per 100,000 followed by Hawke's Bay DHB, 1180.
Most chlamydia occurred in the 20- to 24-year age group for men (2076 per 100,000) and the 15- to 19-year age group for women (6603 per 100,000 population).
But 31 cases (13 boys and 18 girls) were reported in babies less than one-year-old, most of them in the Auckland, Waitemata and Counties Manukau areas. Babies can acquire the bacteria while being born to an infected mother, and may potentially develop infections in the genitals, lungs, ears, and eyes. The highest percentage of positive tests to gonorrhoea was 4.4 percent in Hawke's Bay.
A total of 505 cases of gonorrhoea were reported from 18 DHBs — giving a national annualised rate for 100,000 population of 56 (62 for men and 51 for women).
Gonorrhoea can cause pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility and other reproductive problems in women, and inflammation in the genitals of men.
The highest overall annualised rate — per 100,000 population — of gonorrhoea was reported for Tairawhiti DHB (314) followed by Hawke's Bay DHB (123).
Over 60 percent of the positive patients were aged 15- to 24-years, with the highest incidence in the 20- to 24-age group for men and the 15- to 19-year age group for women.
No cases were reported for under one-year-old.http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/3342880/Gisborne-clap-capital-of-North-Island
STUFF reader comments...-------------------------
bruce #1 07:51 am Feb 18 2010
I suppose it's because there is nothing to do there.-------------------------
the king of hamilton #2 07:51 am Feb 18 2010
& as the king of hamilton, I pass the crown to thee. thou art now the master of the clap.-------------------------
Griff #3 08:06 am Feb 18 2010
I refuse to believe this. For years the Waikato has held the honour of claiming the "Clamidya Triangle", the area between Hamilton, Cambridge and Te Awamutu. We won't give up without a fight!-------------------------
Jaffa #4 08:25 am Feb 18 2010
At least in these small provinical towns they tend to keep it in the family.-------------------------
Nick Aldwell #5 08:29 am Feb 18 2010
Any nationwide chlamydia survey that leaves out Canterbury (Temuka, Timaru, Ashburton etc) is a waste of time.-------------------------
Genesis #6 08:39 am Feb 18 2010
I find this hard to believe. Hamilton would have been my first pick!-------------------------
Morgcorp #7 08:50 am Feb 18 2010
I suppose they could put preventitive measures in place, like teaching the locals to wear pants???-------------------------
Mark #8 08:57 am Feb 18 2010
Haha that's awesome, Wellington the Pure, yea boi-------------------------
ben #9 09:10 am Feb 18 2010
Plenty to do in Gisborne bruce-------------------------
neil #10 09:20 am Feb 18 2010
I've heard it takes the East Cape about 25 years to catch up to the rest of the country, so the problem "there" should be sorted real soon :-)-------------------------
std free #11 9:33am
they might not be the highest percentage for std's they were during the month of oct-dec and who says lots of people in auckland or down south has it but just didnt go to get it checked out there for their records wouldnt be there to count-------------------------
Steve #12 9:44am
Gisborne - Go like the clappers!-------------------------
mazereon #13 9:44am
Surprise Factor at this story: Very Low.-------------------------
PC #14 9:50am
Thats something to be proud of. lol-------------------------
rex #15 10:06am
A round of applause for Gisborne ...-------------------------
Glenn M #16 10:14am
Huh, must be something in the wine, or wine festivals perhaps??-------------------------
Richard #17 10:33am
Now there's a City slogan that will stick in peoples mind!!-------------------------
Poppy #18 10:40am
Am not surprised, its a party city, what do you expect?-------------------------
guy #19 12:35pm
boom chica boom-------------------------
M #20 12:36pm
Hmmm. Now Palmy has some work to do to get the title back...-------------------------
