in a statement described the outbreak as “concerning” and a “significant increase” with the “potential to spread very quickly.” They noted the rise in new cases of HIV and syphilis required “deliberate action.”The dramatic increase came in a roughly 30-mile radius surrounding the city of Duluth.
The new cases cited involved individuals who were residing in the area at the time of diagnosis or were linked to others in the area.
Those people in the area included sex partners, friends, sex workers, those with chemical dependencies, those who share drugs, and/or others within their social network.Officials also expressed concern about a parallel rise in the number of new syphilis cases in the Duluth area.