Do I have to tell my partner? Yes. Herpes is an STI, it can have painful symptoms, and once someones infected, it stays with them for life. Your partner has a right to know they have a risk of catching genital herpes if they have sex with you.

Can you go to jail for giving someone herpes UK?

In the UK, a man convicted of deliberately infecting his lover was given a four year jail sentence. Herpes is a common infection, it can be controlled during outbreaks and is mostly contagious when you have active blisters. This means that passing it on can be reduced if you abstain from sex while you are infected.