The WHO has warned about the spread of superbugs that are resistant to drugs. Researchers tested many bugs in laboratories. One in six of the bugs they tested was drug-resistant. The drugs did not kill the bacteria. Many of the drugs have been saving lives for many years. Drug-resistant bugs will bring new risks to our health. Cuts and infections could be deadly in the future because the antibiotics will not kill harmful bacteria. The WHO said the research was "concerning". It added: "As antibiotic resistance continues to rise…we're putting lives at risk."

The WHO conducted a large study. It looked at data from over 100 countries. Drug resistance is highest in Southeast Asia. There, 1 in 3 reported infections was resistant. In Africa, 1 in 5 infections was resistant. Bugs are becoming drug-resistant faster than researchers can make new drugs. More bugs are becoming resistant to modern medicines. Between 2018 and 2023, drug resistance increased in over 40 per cent of the bacteria tested in labs. Another worry is that not enough testing is being done to create better drugs. The WHO said this will be a big "future threat".