How many extra deaths were caused by hospital infections annually?

• A. 78,000
• B. 50,000
• C. 100,000
• D. 150,000

Answer: (A)

Hospital infections in care settings can be deadly and add to the number of deaths that wouldn’t have happened otherwise. The figure of about 78,000 extra deaths each year is a widely cited estimate used in GCSE materials to show how big a toll infection in hospitals could take. It helps explain why improving cleanliness, antiseptic techniques, and later antibiotic use were such urgent priorities. Estimates vary by country and era, with figures like 50,000 or 100,000 appearing in different sources, but 78,000 is the commonly used figure in this context because it clearly conveys the scale of the problem and the impact of infection control measures.