Signal Bacterial AMR linked to 1.3 million deaths in 2019

Summary

The report measures the direct harm of AMR to human health through deaths. In 2019, an estimated 1.3 million people around the world died because of bacterial antimicrobial resistance. That is double the number of deaths caused by malaria. The report explains that high-risk groups such as babies, children, older adults, immunocompromised people and those with other conditions could face illness and death as once easily treated infections become lethal. It also expects more resistant infections to put pressure on health services, with heavier treatment workloads as fewer drugs still work and fewer beds available because of longer hospital stays.