Rivers polluted with antibiotics could cause the ‘next pandemic’
Author: Lottie Limb
Pharmaceutical pollution poses a “global threat” to environmental and human health, according to the researchers. When antibiotics get into our waterways they make it more likely for bacteria to develop antimicrobial resistance - which is said by the WHO and UN to be one of the biggest dangers to humanity. More than 1.2 million died globally in 2019 from bacterial infections that were resistant to antibiotics, according to a study published last month. There are close links between countries - largely in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa - with the worst drug pollution and those suffering the highest impact from antimicrobial resistance.