CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) - Cook County commissioners say there are a rising number of cases of syphilis in Chicago and Cook County, including more cases passed from mother to child.
Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller is among those requesting that a full in-depth analysis and report on syphilis be developed immediately.
“It is more alarming that we’re also in a maternal morbidity crisis as well here in Cook County and the State of Illinois and across our entire country that we see pregnant mothers having such a high incidence of syphilis, a truly preventable disease,” Miller says.
County Health officials say the number of primary and secondary syphilis cases rose 66 percent from 2020 to 2021, with about 150 cases annually in suburban Cook County.
The County is taking several measures, including launching Syphilis Stops with Me, an educational and awareness campaign targeting Black and Hispanic women, between 18 and 44 who are pregnant or who are planning to become pregnant.
“When it comes to syphilis, catching it early is crucial, County Commissioner Kevin Morrison says. “The longer that you have a syphilis infection, the more severe the health issues and ramifications that may unfold.”
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