Incheon reports over 1,200 drug-resistant infection cases

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Incheon has reported over 1,200 confirmed cases of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) infections this year, fueling growing concerns over bacteria that have developed resistance to certain antibiotics, officials said Thursday.

The increasing prevalence of CRE, a group of germs that are difficult to treat, highlights an ongoing public health challenge as medical professionals grapple with dwindling options for effective treatment.

According to the Incheon Metropolitan Government, the number of CRE cases rose to 1,233 over the first months of 2025 at a rapid pace. By the year’s end, the figure is expected to hit far above the city’s previous record of 3,649 in 2024, officials said.

These bacteria are resistant to the carbapenem class of antibiotics, considered the most reliable last-resort treatment for bacterial infections. For this reason, CRE infections can be highly risky and even fatal. Left untreated, they can lead to complications like pneumonia and bloodstream infections.

To curb this worrying trend, city officials are now developing a new system in collaboration with 12 medical institutions in Incheon, which they plan to implement in July.

To search for effective solutions, the city government held a forum on the issue last month with infectious disease experts.

“CRE infections are spreading across the country, not just in Incheon,” Shin Byung-chul, chief of the city’s health division, said. “We will prevent the spread by strengthening monitoring and epidemiological investigation under new strategies that can reflect the characteristics of medical institutions in the city.”

According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency earlier this year, the number of CRE infection cases across the country stood at 42,827 in 2024, a jump from 38,405 the previous year. Of the people infected in 2023, 661 died, it said.