Florida Confirms Five Deaths From Flesh-Eating Bacteria This Year

Florida officials have confirmed five deaths in the Tampa Bay area due to a flesh-eating bacteria common at beaches.

The vibrio vulnificus infections are found in warm seawater because it needs salt to live, according to Florida Health, per Fox. And although disorders are rare, health officials warn residents, especially those with open wounds, cuts, or scrapes, to stay out of the water because they can be exposed to the bacterium through direct contact with the mixture of fresh and seawater.

According to Fox News, five people have died this year from the reported bacterial infections, including two in Hillsborough County, one in Pasco County, one in Polk County, and one in Sarasota County. Per officials, there have been 26 reported cases of vibrio vulnificus infections in Florida since January.

Last year, there were 74 total cases and 17 vibrio vulnificus infection deaths. The numbers were higher in 2022 due to Hurricane Ian, which spilled sewage into the ocean, increasing bacteria levels.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "some Vibrio vulnificus infections lead to necrotizing fasciitis, a severe infection in which the flesh around an open wound dies. Necrotizing fasciitis can be caused by more than one type of bacteria."

Governor Kathy Hochul spoke about the flesh-eating bacteria, describing it as "extraordinarily dangerous."

"While rare, the vibrio bacterium has unfortunately made it to this region and can be extraordinarily dangerous," Hochul said in a press release. "As we investigate further, it is critical that all New Yorkers stay vigilant and take responsible precautions to keep themselves and their loved ones safe, including protecting open wounds from seawater and, for those with compromised immune systems, avoiding raw or undercooked shellfish which may carry the bacteria."

This flesh-eating bacteria is not the only thing Florida residents should be looking out for, as The Blast also recently reported on a new fatal mosquito-borne virus that has hit Florida. Health officials warn residents after five cases of dengue fever were reported this month.

Dengue is a viral infection mainly found in tropical and subtropical climates mostly in urban or semi-urban areas. The virus is transmitted by female Aedes mosquitoes that have bitten a person infected. According to The Washington Post, "Dengue causes illness in about 1 in 4 infected people and typically leads to symptoms including fever, nausea, headaches, vomiting, muscle and joint pain."

Their report also stated that "about 1 in 20 develop more severe symptoms, including internal bleeding, shock, and organ failure."

It is important to note that "although about half of the world's population is at risk of dengue, most U.S. states see little to no locally acquired cases," according to the World Health Organization. "Most U.S. cases are brought in by travelers to the continental United States or occur in the U.S. territories. The WHO has warned that global warming could prompt record numbers of infections worldwide," their report continued.

"It is rare for infected individuals to die, but it does happen," Derek Cummings, an infectious-disease epidemiologist at the University of Florida, said in an email.