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Annual HIV/STI report: testing fell during COVID; syphilis among women and congenital cases prompt concern
Summary
DPH epidemiologists reported large declines in HIV and STI testing in 2020 tied to the pandemic, a 22% drop in HIV diagnoses, and a troubling rise in female syphilis and five congenital syphilis cases in 2020; the department outlined outreach, home testing and harm‑reduction measures to address disparities.
San Francisco Department of Public Health epidemiologists told the Health Commission that COVID-19 disrupted testing, care and surveillance for HIV and sexually transmitted infections, producing a complex set of trends and persistent disparities.
Ling Hsu, Director of HIV Surveillance and Epidemiology, said medical HIV testing fell by about 18% in 2020 compared with 2019 and community testing fell by about 44% in 2020 before rebounding toward 2019 levels by mid‑2021. Hsu said new HIV diagnoses declined 22% (from 168 in 2019 to 131 in 2020) but cautioned some infections were likely missed because of reduced testing.
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