Alarming surge in medieval disease in babies as health system dubbed a failure [View all]

Last edited Sun Nov 12, 2023, 12:08 PM - Edit history (1)

More and more American babies are being born with a medieval-era disease every year, with cases "increasing at an alarming rate." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are now calling out a "failure" of the US's health system after 282 infants died in 2022.

The worst part of it all is that the disease in question — syphilis — can be easily prevented and treated if screenings are conducted regularly and treatment begins early enough. At least 248 of those 282 babies, or 88%, need not have succumbed to the disease, the CDC said in a groundbreaking new report.

Over 3,700 babies were born with syphilis last year, which is more than 10 times the amount born with the deadly sexually transmitted infection (STI) in 2012. It also represents a 31.7% increase from the just over 2,800 cases recorded in 2021. In contrast, there were 335 cases in 2012.

"Increasing rates of syphilis among babies reflect a failure of the US health system," the CDC concluded. "Too many people are not being tested and treated early enough during pregnancy."

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/us-news/alarming-surge-medieval-disease-babies-31401705

But some people in the right spots made some money, so in the eyes of the "world's greatest healthcare system", it's all good though.