Sounding the alarm a new way, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has started categorizing antibiotic-resistant organisms by threat level for the first time.  The CDC has initiated the measure in the light of their conservative estimates which says more than 2 million people get antibiotic-resistant infections each year, and at least 23,000 die because current drugs no longer stop their infections.

Health officials have been warning us about antibiotic overuse and bacteria resistance for a long time.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the number to spotlight the growing threat of germs that are hard to treat because they’ve become resistant to drugs.

Antibiotics are designed to kill bacteria that cause infection. However, in the process they can also kill so-called good bacteria. Notably, the human body hosts about 100 trillion such bacteria.

Antibiotics are used to kill or suppress the bacteria behind illnesses ranging from strep throat to deadly diseases. These drugs are considered to be one of the greatest advances in the history of medicine and have saved countless lives. But with the passing time and advancement in the field of medicine some antibiotics grew ineffective and obsolete. Experts say their overuse and misuse have helped make them less effective.

“If we’re not careful, the medicine chest will be empty” when doctors need infection-fighting drugs, CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden said.