Cases of bacterial sexually transmitted infections across Europe have climbed to record levels after rising steadily for a decade, according to new figures released by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

The agency said infections such as gonorrhoea and syphilis reached their highest levels since European surveillance began, raising concerns among health officials about the growing impact on reproductive and long-term health.

“Sexually transmitted infections have been on the rise for 10 years and reached record high levels in 2024,” said Bruno Ciancio, head of the ECDC unit for directly transmitted and vaccine-preventable diseases.

The report found that gonorrhoea cases rose to 106,331 in 2024, marking a 303 percent increase since 2015. Syphilis infections more than doubled over the same period, reaching 45,577 cases. Chlamydia remained the most commonly reported infection, with 213,443 recorded cases.

Health officials warned that untreated infections can lead to serious complications, including infertility, chronic pain and neurological or cardiovascular problems linked to advanced syphilis.

The steepest increase was recorded in gonorrhoea cases. The ECDC said the 2024 notification rate was the highest since monitoring began in 2009.

Gonorrhoea, caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae, often shows no symptoms, particularly among women, making diagnosis and treatment more difficult and allowing transmission to continue unnoticed.

Between 2023 and 2024, gonorrhoea rates rose by 7.9 percent among men, with the highest levels seen in those aged 25 to 34. More than half of reported cases involved men who have sex with men.

Among women, reported gonorrhoea cases fell by 8.6 percent overall, although the highest rates remained among women aged between 20 and 24.

The ECDC said high infection rates among women of reproductive age remained concerning because of the risk of complications affecting fertility and reproductive health.

Ireland, Malta, Iceland, Luxembourg, Denmark and Spain recorded the highest gonorrhoea rates in 2024.

The report also highlighted a sharp increase in congenital syphilis, a condition in which the infection passes from a pregnant woman to her unborn child. Cases nearly doubled from 2023 levels and reached the highest point recorded since 2009.

Between 2015 and 2024, Bulgaria reported the highest number of congenital syphilis cases, followed by Portugal and Hungary.

The ECDC said congenital syphilis is preventable and noted that the World Health Organization European region has set a target of reducing cases to fewer than one per 100,000 live births by 2030.

Experts pointed to changing sexual behaviour as a major factor behind the increase in infections. Josep Mallolas, head of the HIV/AIDS unit at Hospital Clínic Barcelona, said condom use had declined while the number of sexual partners had increased, particularly among younger age groups.

The ECDC added that expanded screening programmes, improved testing access and better reporting systems may also partly explain the rise in detected cases. Officials called for broader prevention campaigns, increased testing and stronger monitoring efforts across Europe.

The White House has denied reports that the United States blocked the return of an American missionary doctor infected with Ebola while working in the Democratic Republic of Congo, after a newspaper report claimed his evacuation to the US had been delayed over political and public health concerns.

The report, published by The Washington Post and citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter, alleged that US officials initially refused to allow Dr. Peter Stafford to return home after he contracted Ebola in eastern Congo. According to the report, Stafford was eventually flown to Germany for treatment after delays linked to internal discussions within the administration.

White House spokesman Kush Desai strongly rejected the claims, calling the report “absolutely false.”

“The Trump administration’s overriding and sole priority is the health and safety of the American people,” Desai said in a statement. He added that Berlin’s Charité hospital is internationally recognised for treating highly infectious diseases and offers care comparable to top American medical centres.

Dr. Stafford had been working in Bunia, in eastern Congo, when he treated a patient suffering from severe abdominal pain. The illness was initially suspected to be linked to gallbladder complications, but the patient later died and was believed to have been infected with Ebola. A test confirming the disease was reportedly not conducted before burial.

Several days later, Stafford developed symptoms including fever, severe fatigue, pain and chills. He was eventually transported to Germany for specialist treatment at the Charité hospital in Berlin, which has extensive experience handling dangerous viral outbreaks.

The doctor’s wife and four children have also been admitted to the hospital’s isolation unit after US authorities requested assistance from Germany, according to the German Federal Health Ministry.

The controversy has revived memories of the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, when two infected American aid workers were flown back to the United States for treatment. At the time, Donald Trump publicly criticised the decision in social media posts, warning against bringing Ebola patients into the country.

The latest outbreak in Congo has been identified as the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which carries a fatality rate estimated between 25 and 50 percent. Health officials say there are currently no approved vaccines or targeted treatments specifically for this strain.

Authorities in Congo have reported nearly 600 suspected cases and 139 deaths so far, although officials believe the real number of infections may be higher because of limited testing and surveillance capacity in affected regions.

Meanwhile, heightened concerns over Ebola have also affected international travel. A recent Air France flight from Paris to Detroit was diverted to Canada after US authorities reportedly denied the aircraft entry into American airspace because a passenger had recently travelled to Congo.

Despite the concerns surrounding his evacuation, reports from Berlin indicate Stafford’s condition has begun to improve and that he is now able to eat again.

European health authorities are maintaining a watchful approach to the latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, resisting calls for strict travel restrictions even as the United States introduces airport screening and entry measures aimed at limiting the spread of the virus.

The outbreak has already caused at least 131 deaths and more than 500 reported cases, prompting the World Health Organization to declare the situation an international public health emergency.

US officials announced this week that travellers arriving from affected regions would face additional screening measures, while some non-US passport holders who recently visited Congo, Uganda or South Sudan could be barred from entry.

In Europe, however, health officials say the current risk remains low despite growing concern over the speed of the outbreak.

Belgium has drawn particular attention because Brussels Airlines continues to operate daily direct flights between Brussels and Kinshasa, one of the main international routes linking Europe to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Steven Van Gucht, one of Belgium’s leading virologists, said the situation in Congo is serious but stressed that Ebola is not easily spread like airborne viruses.

“People are only contagious once they develop symptoms,” he said, explaining that the disease spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids from infected individuals.

That characteristic, experts say, limits the usefulness of temperature checks at airports because travellers can carry the virus during its incubation period, which may last up to 21 days, without showing symptoms.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has not recommended airport screening or flight suspensions, arguing that such measures require major resources while offering limited benefits.

Celine Gossner, an expert with the agency, said exit screening in affected countries is considered more effective than checks upon arrival in Europe.

Brussels Airlines said it continues to monitor the situation closely and remains in contact with health authorities. The airline stated that flights are operating normally and no additional passenger restrictions are currently in place.

The carrier added that cabin crews are trained to identify symptoms of infectious diseases and follow strict hygiene and safety procedures when necessary.

Officials at Brussels Airport confirmed emergency protocols already exist for handling passengers suspected of carrying infectious diseases. Those individuals can be transported directly by specialist medical teams for treatment and isolation.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has also warned against widespread travel bans, saying border closures can disrupt humanitarian operations and discourage countries from reporting outbreaks quickly.

Belgium’s foreign ministry has formally advised against travel to the Ituri and North Kivu provinces, where confirmed Ebola cases have been reported.

Health officials across Europe are instead focusing on monitoring returning travellers and strengthening hospital preparedness. Experts say people who develop fever, headaches or other symptoms within 21 days of visiting affected areas should immediately seek medical attention and inform doctors about their recent travel history.

European authorities have also deployed health experts to Congo to assist local response efforts as concern grows over the potential for wider regional spread.