The Week in Numbers (to Aug 17th)

It has to be a ‘demic.’

9,513

In 2023, diagnoses of infectious syphilis increased to 9,513, up 9.4% compared to 2022 (8,693)- 2023 was the highest level recorded since the 1940s.

The UKHSA wants you to  know that it is ‘tracking the syphilis epidemic in England.’ However, they seem to have little in the Health Security toolbox to arrest the current increase. 

Increase in frequency

Want to know the officially accepted definition of an epidemic?

In January 2000, Earl Howe asked Her Majesty's Government this very question. 

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath replied, ‘The epidemiological definition of an epidemic is an increase in the frequency of occurrence of a disease in a population above its baseline level for a specified period of time. The term epidemic can be used when describing the pattern of either infectious or chronic diseases in the population.’

So, there you have it: anything on the increase for more than a couple of days is an epidemic. 

15,600 

So far this year, there have been 15,600 cases of Monkeypox detected.