The CDC worked 24/7 to help protect Americans from numerous health threats in 2018, ranging from antibiotic resistance to tuberculosis.
Here are seven health issues the CDC addressed in 2018:
1. Opioid epidemic. Congress appropriated $476 million in fiscal year 2018 to support the CDC's efforts to address the opioid epidemic. The agency dispersed the funding across all 50 states and four U.S. territories to help bolster prevention and response activities.
2. Foodborne outbreaks. The CDC helped investigate and resolve numerous foodborne outbreaks in 2018, including E. coli infections linked to romaine lettuce.
3. Acute flaccid myelitis. The agency established an AFM task force in November 2018 to support the ongoing investigation into the cause of the illness and treatment options.
4. Ebola. The CDC has been working with health officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo to help contain the country's second-largest Ebola outbreak in history.
5. Outbreak threats overseas. In 2018, the CDC continued to help more than 60 countries implement stronger disease surveillance activities and laboratory systems to prevent global disease outbreaks.
6. Antibiotic resistance. The CDC and HHS unveiled the AMR Challenge in September 2018, which is a global initiative to combat antibiotic resistance.
7. Tuberculosis. The agency is supporting a global effort to offer preventive TB treatments to 5 million people living with HIV by 2020 as part of the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.