Antibiotic-resistant superbugs killed 1.2m in 2019: study

Superbug infections killed 1.2 million people in 2019, according to a study published yesterday, which authors described as the most comprehensive assessment of the impact of antimicrobial resistance to date.   The death toll means infections by bacteria resistant to antibiotics are directly responsible for more deaths than HIV/AIDS or malaria. The report, published in the Lancet, also found antimicrobial resistance played a role in up to 3.68 million other deaths. "These new data reveal the true scale of antimicrobial resistance worldwide, and are a clear signal that we must act now to combat the threat," said study co-author Chris Murray of the University of Washington. While previous estimates said superbugs could kill 10 million people per year by 2050, this study shows that milestone could be reached much sooner, he added. Antimicrobial resistance occurs as bacteria evolve to be immune to antibiotics. The World Health Organization has declared it a global health crisis, setting up a task force to study alternative treatments.