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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Hannah Devlin Science correspondent

Deaths linked to antibiotic-resistant superbugs rose 17% in England in 2024

A petri dish with bacteria growing on orange agar jelly
A culture of the MRSA superbug. Antibiotic use in NHS primary care fell between 2019 and 2024, but it rose significantly in the private sector. Photograph: Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters

The number of deaths linked to superbugs that do not respond to frontline antibiotics increased by 17% in England last year, according to official figures that raise concerns about the ongoing increase in antimicrobial resistance.

The figures, released by the UK Health Security Agency, also revealed a large rise in private prescriptions for antibiotics, with 22% dispensed through the private sector in 2024.

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