One in six infections now resistant to antibiotics: WHO

Drug-resistant bacterial infections are soaring to record numbers that could jeopardize the effectiveness of life-saving treatments, according to a new report from the World Health Organization.

The WHO issued a warning on Monday that 1 in 6 laboratory-confirmed bacterial infections worldwide showed resistance to antibiotic treatments, meaning that common medications to treat urinary or gastrointestinal tract infections could become ineffective.

Antimicrobial resistance occurs when pathogens evolve to evade the drugs used to kill them. From 2019 to 2023, AMR increased over 40%, with an annual average rise of between 5% and 15%, according to the new report.