A popular short-break holiday destination loved by hundreds of thousands of British travellers every year has recorded a soaring rate of a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Rates of gonorrhoea have reached the highest levels for 40 years, with 283 people diagnosed with the painful down-below condition in the first nine months of 2026.
Gonorrhoea can remain undetected as some people do not suffer symptoms, but for those that do, it can cause a yellow or greenish discharge, as well as pain in the abdomen and when urinating. It can also affect the eyes, throat and anus. If left untreated the infection can cause damage to sexual organs and complications for fertility and in pregnancy.
The rates of the infection have been spotted soaring in Iceland, a Nordic nation loved by Brits which is home to just 400,000 people. The sexual bug numbers have increased 20% on last year, and more than five times since 2021.
According to Icelandic news site RUV, the number of cases equates to 72 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, considerably higher than the European average of 27 per 100,000, but lower than the UK average of 101.
Guðrún Aspelund, Iceland’s Chief Epidemiologist, spoke to RUV about possible reasons for the increase in cases.
She said: “What’s been mentioned in Europe, because this is also being seen in some other European countries, is possibly reduced condom use, changes in sexual behaviour, and having more sexual partners.
“But we don’t know which of these factors, or what combination of them, might be causing this here.”
It’s reported of those testing positive 249, or 88%, were male, leaving 12%, or 34 individuals, who are female.
The biggest increase seen by health professionals has been among men aged 30 and over.
The largest age group affected has been those between 30 and 44, and of those diagnosed this year, 43% did not have Icelandic citizenship.
More information on the symptoms and treatment for gonorrhoea can be found on the NHS website here.
