UK Government Warns Possible Death Of Thousands Due To Superbug Infection Outbreak

The British government has issued a warning on the possible death of thousands of people if a drug-resistant infection outbreak occurs. According to the warning issued by the National Risk Register of Civil Emergencies, around 80,000 people could die from an outbreak of drug-resistant infections.

The report also states that modern medical treatments can also be fatal because of the presence of superbugs that are resistant to most antibiotics. Health professionals are worried about the existence of new strains of viruses and bacteria that are resistant to antimicrobials, resulting in the ineffectiveness of antiviral and antibacterial drugs commonly used in hospitals and health facilities all over the world.

The report, which was compiled by the Cabinet Office, states that without antibiotics that work effectively, “even minor surgery and routine operations could become high-risk procedures, leading to increased duration of illness and ultimately premature mortality.”

The number of infections caused by superbugs can increase exponentially over the next 20 years. "If a widespread outbreak were to occur, we could expect around 200,000 people to be affected by a bacterial blood infection that could not be treated effectively with existing drugs, and around 80,000 of these people might die.”

UK leaders are working with global partners to confront this growing problem. A previous warning has also been given out by politicians and scientists, stressing the need to find an effective treatment for superbug infections.

According to British Prime Minister David Cameron in his July statement, superbug infection is a serious threat and without proper measures, the entire health community will be “cast back into the dark ages of medicine.”

Drug-resistant bacteria and viruses have already taken 50,000 lives a year in both United States and Europe as revealed by the report. The use of antibiotics in the UK is still on the rise. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence continue to call on medical professionals to control the prescription of antibiotics to patients to help slow down the superbug problem.

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