TERRIFYING

The Post-Antibiotic Era Has Begun, Says CDC Director

The warning came as a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report showed that antibiotic-resistant superbugs kill 35,000 Americans every year.

The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned that the post-antibiotic era has begun after a report from the group showed drug-resistant superbugs infect nearly three million people and cause more than 35,000 deaths each year. CDC Director Robert Redfield said the public should “stop referring to a coming post-antibiotic era—it’s already here,” and added: “You and I are living in a time when some miracle drugs no longer perform miracles and families are being ripped apart by a microscopic enemy.” The report shows someone is infected by a superbug every 11 seconds and someone dies every 15 minutes. The CDC said there are nearly twice as many overall deaths from antibiotic-resistant infections compared a report in 2013. But it’s not all terrible news—heightened awareness among hospitals and health providers has seen hospital deaths from antibiotic-resistant infections drop 28 percent from 2012 to 2017.