Characteristics of Reported Gonorrhea Diagnoses During The COVID-19 Pandemic Compared With Pre-COVID-19 Pandemic, Baltimore City, Maryland.

Background: Sexual health service disruptions due to COVID-19 mitigation measures may have decreased gonorrhea screening and biased case-ascertainment toward symptomatic individuals. We assessed changes in reported symptoms and other characteristics among reported gonorrhea cases during pandemic versus prepandemic periods in 1 city with persistent gonorrhea transmission.

Methods: Enhanced surveillance data collected on a random sample of gonorrhea cases reported to the Baltimore City Health Department between March 2018 and September 2021 was used.