An increase in the sexually transmitted diseases chlamydia and gonorrhoea in women aged 20-24 years last year is a source of concern, according to a public health report.

It comes against a background of an overall rise in sexually transmitted infections since the Covid-19 pandemic.

Since 2019 the disease notification rate in women aged 20-24 years increased by 34pc.

Chlamydia went up by 35pc and gonorrhoea by 75pc in this age group.

The report from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) said notifications of sexually transmitted infections last year increased when compared to 2021, 2020 and the pre-pandemic year 2019.

“The groups most affected by were young people aged 15 to 24 and gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM),” said the report.

Some infections have disproportionately affected gay and bisexual men including mpox, previously known as monkeypox.