Share of S. aureus infections resistant to methicillin in South Africa

South Africa: Share of S. aureus infections resistant to methicillin was 16.5% in 2022. ▼ Falling

Latest (2022)
16.5%
Change on year
down 1.0%
World rank
26th
of 45 countries
All-time high
24.9%
in 2016
All-time low
16.5%
in 2022
Years of data
7
2016–2022

Share of S. aureus infections resistant to methicillin in South Africa, 2016–2022

05101520252016201920222016: 24.9 %2017: 23.8 %2018: 24.6 %2019: 21.4 %2020: 19.6 %2021: 16.6 %2022: 16.5 %

Source: World Health Organization – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2022, share of s. aureus infections resistant to methicillin in South Africa stood at 16.5%. That is the lowest value across all 7 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.0% on the previous year and down 33.8% over ten years.

That places South Africa 26th out of 45 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the middle of the range.

Share of S. aureus infections resistant to methicillin in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Share of S. aureus infections resistant to methicillin in South Africa, 2016 to 2022.
Year % Change
2016 24.9%
2017 23.8% -4.4%
2018 24.6% +3.4%
2019 21.4% -13.2%
2020 19.6% -8.0%
2021 16.6% -15.3%
2022 16.5% -1.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 23.7% 21.4% 24.9% 4
2020s 17.6% 16.5% 19.6% 3

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 23 Bosnia and Herzegovina 26.5% compare
  2. 24 Malta 19.9% compare
  3. 25 Russian Federation 17.0% compare
  4. 27 Poland 13.7% compare
  5. 28 Mali 13.6% compare
  6. 29 Tunisia 13.6% compare

See the full ranking of 45 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of s. aureus infections resistant to methicillin in South Africa?
Share of s. aureus infections resistant to methicillin in South Africa was 16.5% in 2022, according to World Health Organization – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest share of s. aureus infections resistant to methicillin recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 24.9% in 2016.
What is the lowest share of s. aureus infections resistant to methicillin recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 16.5% in 2022.
How does South Africa rank for share of s. aureus infections resistant to methicillin?
South Africa ranks 26th out of 45 countries with data for 2022.
Is share of s. aureus infections resistant to methicillin rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 33.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from World Health Organization – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of S. aureus infections resistant to methicillin. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Share of S. aureus infections resistant to methicillin in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 07 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/share-of-s-aureus-bloodstream-infections-that-are-resistant-to-antibiotics/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Share of S. aureus infections resistant to methicillin
Unit
%
Source
World Health Organization – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
45 places, 273 data points, 2016–2022
Last refreshed

Percentage of bloodstream infection due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) among patients seeking care and whose blood sample is taken and tested (%).