FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): Allen County is dealing with an increase in sexually transmitted diseases.

Health Commissioner Dr. Deborah McMahan told the Allen County-Fort Wayne Department of Health board the county has seen an 11% increase in infections in the first nine months of the year, with the biggest increase coming in gonorrhea (674 new cases).

The Journal Gazette reports the County’s 27 new cases of HIV are an increase of five from last year, with an increase in chlamydia (1,657 new cases) syphilis (9 new cases) and hepatitis C also.

The department opened a needle exchange program last year to fight the spread of blood-borne diseases.