The number of high school students with Chlamydia in Lincoln County is on the rise.
The County Health Department says 10 students have contracted the disease in the past month six months. Director Shelley Hersil says it's a very common STD, so it's not that surprising. Still, the department is re-doubling its educational efforts in schools, and is encouraging students to abstain from sex or to get tested if they are sexually active.
Hersil says parents should also discuss the dangers of STDs with their children.
Chlamydia is the most frequently reported bacterial STD in the country and the most reported communicable disease in Lincoln County. It is transmitted through anal, oral or vaginal sex and is often a "silent" disease because most people don't show symptoms of it.