Antibiotic-resistant microbes, including Clostridioides difficile, cause more than 3 million infections and 48 000 deaths each year in the United States, according to the CDC’s latest estimates.

In its update, the CDC noted that although its 2013 estimates stated that 23 000 deaths occurred annually from antibiotic resistance, the figure really was 44 000. The difference was revealed through more extensive data that have since become available. Although the revision suggests the threat is nearly twice as large as previous estimates, the authors noted progress has been made—prevention efforts have reduced the number of antibiotic resistance deaths by 18% overall and by nearly 30% in hospitals.

“The 2013 report propelled the nation toward critical action and investments against antibiotic resistance,” CDC Director Robert Redfield, MD, said in a statement. The recent update “demonstrates notable progress, yet the threat is still real,” he added.