The coronavirus pandemic is paving the way for an increase in deadly superbugs, a scientist has warned.

Ronan McCarthy, a lecturer in Biomedical Sciences at Brunel University London, has warned that there could be a surge in antibiotic resistance following the pandemic.

Writing for The Conversation, he explained: “The COVID-19 pandemic has led to huge numbers of people with compromised immune systems being admitted to hospitals, which are a known breeding ground for drug-resistant bacteria.

“Because of this influx, these hospital-associated bacteria will now have a much wider potential target group.”

According to Mr McCarthy, emerging evidence suggests that many coronavirus patients are being diagnosed with secondary infections while in hospital.

Antibiotics spilling for plastic bottle

He said: “The source and specific nature of these infections are yet to be fully explored, but there is some evidence that multidrug-resistant bacteria are among the germs causing these secondary infections.”

As a result, many coronavirus patients are given antibiotics, despite the fact that they won’t treat the virus itself.

Mr McCarthy said: “This rapid increase in antibiotic use, particularly in hospitals, will apply a strong selective pressure on bacteria to evolve resistance.

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"This will probably contribute to an increase in the incidence of drug-resistant infections in the months and years after the pandemic is over.”

While hundreds of antibiotic drugs are currently being tested in animals, only a few will make it to the market, according to Mr McCarthy.

He added: “Hopefully the response to the COVID-19 pandemic can be used as a blueprint in global cooperation to tackle the antibiotic resistance crisis, a threat that has the potential to cripple our healthcare systems and medicine as we know it.”