Gonorrhea' may increase in wake of Covid-19 - WHO warns

The World Health Organization (WHO) is warning about the potential rise in antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea, also known as “super gonorrhea”, due to overuse of antibiotics during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The news, delivered to British newspaper the Sun via a WHO spokesperson, elicited both concern and humor on social media Monday.

Specifically, the spokesperson mentioned a frequently prescribed antibiotic known as azithromycin, and said that, overall, “overuse of antibiotics in the community can fuel the emergence of antimicrobial resistance in [gonorrhea].” 

Gonorrhea is a sexually transmitted disease that affects millions of people across the world.