THE amount of young people being diagnosed with the sexually transmitted infection Chlamydia in Blackburn with Darwen has fallen dramatically in a year, new figures show,

For those aged 15 to 24 the detection rate was 4,144 per 100,000 in 2016 compared to 2,263 per 100,000 in 2017.

The number of new Chlamydia cases in the age group has also dropped from 793 in 2016 to 433 last year, according to the data from Public Health England.

Chlamydia is one of the most common STIs and although often symptomless it can cause long-term health problems including infertility if left untreated.

Health chiefs said the fact the detection rate was decreasing was not good news as it means less people are getting tested and therefore treated.

Blackburn with Darwen borough council public health director Dominic Harrison said: “Chlamydia detection diagnosis is really important for the future health of people.

“High detection rates and diagnoses is a sign of a good as it means more people are getting treated and able to manage their condition.

“Public health grants been cut significantly since 2015 which does limit our ability to invest more in increasing chlamydia detection and prevention programmes.

“Chlamydia is a nasty condition if left untreated which is why it’s important to detect it.”

However, the data shows a 64 per cent increase in cases of gonorrhoea cases and a 29 per cent increase in syphilis in 2017, compared with 2012 in Blackburn with Darwen .