Mrsa mutates seeing thousands die every year from treatable bugs

Routine operations have become increasingly more dangerous as bugs, bacteria and other pathogens have developed a resistance to medicines used to attack them, disturbing figures released

from Public Health England revealed. A leading health chief said the UK "risked putting medicine back in the dark ages" unless problems are addressed. Hospital infections have

rocketed up from 24,800 in 2012/13 and 11,000 in 2009/10 to 48,800 in 2017, according to The Mirror. The report claims more than 3million surgeries and cancer treatments could become deadly

without working antibiotics. Professor Dame Sally Davies, Chief medical officer for England, said: “Without swift action, we are at risk of putting medicine back in the dark ages.” For

decades these procedures have been made more safe by antibiotics. But now more than 2,500 people are dying every year because of a rise in previously treatable bloodstream infections. This

is because pathogens are developing resistance to medicines used to attack them due to genetic mutation and natural selection. Out of 9 million surgeries carried out in England every year, 3

million need antibiotics prior to or during surgery to prevent infections – but patients are now at risk. Medical director of Public Health England, Paul Cosford, said: “Antibiotics are an

essential part of modern medicine, keeping people safe from infection when they are at their most vulnerable. “It is concerning that, in the not-too distant future, we may see more cancer

patients, mothers who’ve had caesareans and patients who’ve had other surgery facing life-threatening situations if antibiotics fail to ward off infections." He said people should only

take antibiotics if they absolutely have to. He added: “Taking antibiotics just in case may seem like a harmless act but it can have grave consequences for you and your family’s health in

future.” Conservative MP Andrea Jenkyns has been a leading figure in the campaign MRSA Action after her father died from a strain in 2011. She said although he was in isolation, staff would

often walk in and out without washing their hands or wearing gloves. She said: “I was shocked, but when I mentioned this to the head nurse, I was just stared at blankly. “The standards of

hygiene were appalling.” But the Department of Health and Social Care official told The Mirror: “We have committed to tackling the issue through £360million in research since 2014 and we

have already seen GPs are prescribing antibiotics 13% less than in 2013.”