Wales has become one of the first nations in the world to start vaccinating people against gonorrhoea.

The vaccine is now available in sexual health clinics to gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men at high risk of infection and others assessed as high risk by a clinician.

The programme follows research showing the existing meningococcal B vaccination can protect people from gonorrhoea by up to 40 per cent.

Detected cases are at near record high levels in Wales amid concern over rising rates of antibiotic-resistant strains of the disease.

Wendi Shepherd, Deputy Director of Health Protection for Public Health Wales, said the move “is an important step towards reducing the spread of an infection that’s becoming increasingly difficult to treat.”