Holidaymakers heading to France this summer are being urged to pack condoms amid soaring rates of chlamydia and gonorrhoea.
Rates of the common STIs, which can both lead to infertility if left untreated, have more than tripled since 2012, according to official figures.
In a desperate attempt to stem the spread of chlamydia and gonorrhoea, French officials have launched a campaign to encourage the use of condoms.
And health officials in the Netherlands, which borders the country, have warned travellers to pack their own condoms and that holiday romances can be risky.
In a desperate attempt to stem the spread of chlamydia and gonorrhoea, French officials have launched a campaign to encourage the use of condoms
The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and public health service GGD Amsterdam were behind the calls to holidaymakers.
They went as far as warning Dutch tourists heading to France to bring their own condoms from home in a special campaign.
A GGD spokesman said: ‘In lots of countries condoms are difficult to obtain and not always reliable. Therefore, preferably take them from home.
The spokesman added: ‘Holiday romances might seem romantic but are not without danger. The circumstances are different, but the risks remain the same.’
Public Health France figures show 267,097 people were infected with chlamydia in 2016, the last full year data is available for.
In contrast, just 76,918 cases were recorded in 2012 – meaning there has been a 247 per cent jump in the space of four years.
And health officials in the Netherlands, which borders the country, have warned travellers to pack their own condoms and that holiday romances can be risky
Cases of gonorrhoea have also spiked, with nearly 50,000 cases recorded in 2016, from 15,000 in 2012.
The figures, released earlier this week, prompted Public Health France to launch its own campaign to promote the use of condoms.
Titled “‘a condom can save your life’, the body hopes it will make French youngsters aware of the importance of safe sex.
Youngsters between the age of 15 and 24 have been particularly affected by the rising cases of both STIs.
Dr Florence Lot, head of an STI unit for Public Health France, fears the real number may be even greater, according to local reports.
She said: ‘The sharp increase in diagnoses of these infections in 2016 may be due to a number of factors.’
Dr Lot pointed to an underestimation of cases in 2012, screening campaigns, better tests used and the increase of the incidence of the STIs.
A recent survey showed that 48 per cent of French students do not use a condom when having sex.
Dr Lot explained that youngsters ‘have multiple changing sexual partners and do not always use a condom’.
She said: ‘This is why there are so many infections with youngsters under the age of 25.’
The amount of people with an STI is largest in the capital Paris and in the Provence region in the South of France, both popular destinations with British holidaymakers.
Around 17 million British nationals visit France every year, according to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
However, the soaring rates of chlamydia and gonorrhoea have not been mentioned on the body’s travel advice section.