Chlamydia, a sexually transmitted disease, has attacked a small West Texas high school. A letter was sent by the Crane Independent School District to parents of West Texas high school students. Purpose of sending the letter was to inform them regarding 20 confirmed cases of the disease. There are approximately 300 students in the school.

Diana Martinez, a Crane parent with young children, told KWES-TV, “This happens in any town, but just for it to hit close to home, I mean parents need to be aware of the situation and make sure they tell their kids to be safe and practice safe sex". She added that the situation is probably getting worse as it has already become a headline and is something horrible.

Chlamydia could be treated; however, it can lead to permanent damage to women’s reproductive systems if not treated.

The outbreak is not just limited to the Crane Independent School District. In 2013, numbers of primary and secondary syphilis diagnoses in Dallas County rose by 31% from 2012, according to the Dallas County Health and Human Services.

According to a report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Wisconsin Population Health Institute, for every 100,000 people, there are 600 new cases of Chlamydia. It was previously reported by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention that 8 out of the 11 states with the highest rates of gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis were in the South.

State health officials informed regarding a significant number of chlamydia cases reported in Crane County and adjacent Upton County.

Chlamydia infection symptoms in women are pain when urinating, painful menstruation, itching or burning sensation in or around the areas of the vagina, abnormal bleeding between periods, abdominal pain paired with fever, vaginal discharge that may have odor, and pain when having sex.