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Bexar County ranks among the top counties for reported STD cases

It's not just Valentine's Day it's also National Condom Day and Texas ranks in the top 5 states for the number of STD cases reported.

SAN ANTONIO — It's the part of an intimate relationship few people are comfortable talking about – the risk of getting a sexually transmitted disease. The latest report released by Metro Health shows Bexar County among the top counties in Texas for sexually transmitted cases reported.

While many know February 14 marks Valentine's Day, it’s also dubbed as National Condom Day.

With several dating apps aimed to help people find the perfect date experts say it’s critical to ask questions and use protection before having sex.

"Asking if the individual has been tested recently and then being able to negotiate condom use," Project Coordinator Adrienne Henze for Texas Wears Condoms said.

According to the latest report released by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017 marked the highest number of STD cases ever reported in the United States. Nationally, Texas ranked 4 in the number of congenital syphilis cases. Bexar County ranked 3 for the most chlamydia, gonorrhea, and secondary syphilis cases.

In San Antonio, the organization Texas Wears Condoms aims to educate the public and increase access to protection.  

Henze says many people she talks to say they don’t have access to the condoms because they are locked up and they’re embarrassed to ask for them or they simply can’t afford them.

Anyone in Texas can order condoms off the group’s website for free, and they mail them all over the state.

"We do have a create your own package for those who know what they are looking for," Henze said while browsing the website.

The types of protection the organization offers vary.

“Either condoms, lubricant, dental dams, whatever seems to work for you," Henze said.

Once the order is complete online employees pack up the condoms and ship them off in a discrete envelope.

Experts recommend getting tested for STD's every three months or twice a year.

According to Henze, they see a spike in the number of STD cases shortly after Fiesta.

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