Super gonorrhoea on the rise due to Covid-19, WHO warns

World Health Organisation (WHO) medics have warned of a rise in a super gonorrhoea strain amidst the storm caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The health officials warned that the highly infectious and drug-resistant bacteria may become untreatable and even more resistant because of the overuse of antibiotics during the pandemic.

They said the pandemic has been fuelling the mutation of the Neisseria gonorrhoeae bacterium which causes gonorrhea by infecting the mucous membranes of the reproductive tract, including the cervix, uterus, and fallopian tubes in women, and the urethra in women and men.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, if gonorrhea is left untreated it may cause infertility, lead to an increase of HIV transmission and eye infections that may lead to blindness.

"Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea can cause serious short- and long-term complications, including pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, infertility, chronic pelvic pain and athritis, and they can be transmitted during pregnancy or delivery," warned WHO in a 2016 study on the global prevalence of chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis and syphilis.

The study found that the African region had the highest incidence rates for gonorrhoea and trichonomiasis.

Globally, the WHO study revealed there are nearly 130 million rates of the sexually transmitted diseases.

Symptoms of gonorrhoea include painful urination and abnormal discharge from the penis or vagina. Men may experience testicular pain and women may experience pain in the lower stomach. However, in some cases, gonorrhoea has no symptoms.