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‘Flesh-eating’ bacteria infections in Florida: 1 dead, 12 confirmed cases, health officials report
WPLG Local 10 • • health
Key Points:
- An individual aged 80 to 84 in Palm Beach County was the first confirmed death from Vibrio vulnificus, or "flesh-eating bacteria," in Florida this year, according to the Florida Department of Health (FDOH).
- There have been 13 total infections statewide so far, including four cases in Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties combined, with the remaining cases spread across seven other counties.
- Last year, Florida reported five deaths and 33 cases of Vibrio vulnificus infections.
- The FDOH warns that eating raw or undercooked shellfish, especially oysters, and swimming with open wounds in marine waters increase the risk of infection.
- Individuals with weakened immune systems face a higher risk of severe illness, with symptoms including fever, chills, septic shock, and blistering skin lesions.
