Congenital Syphilis Rises 2,345 Percent in Ontario, Up 599 Percent in Canada, Reports Show

A close up photo of a premature baby's foot in a file photo. Premature birth is one possible symptom of congenital syphilis. Fred Dufour/AFP via Getty Images

Rates of syphilis during pregnancy have risen a whopping 2,345 percent in Ontario in just four years, according to recently released government data.

Cases of congenital syphilis—where the disease is passed to a baby during pregnancy or at birth—have increased substantially across Canada, rising 599 percent between 2018 and 2022, the last year for which figures are available.