Palm Beach County, Florida — Florida health officials report the first death from the necrotizing bacteria in 2026 in Palm Beach County.
The flesh-eating bacterium Vibrio vulnificus is a rare and potentially fatal bacteria that naturally occurs in warm, salty and brackish water. However, according to the Florida Department of Health, most people become infected with vibriosis by eating raw or undercooked shellfish, especially oysters.
A Burmese python population has surged near a popular Florida tourist area, prompting increased conservation efforts.
Because this bacteria naturally occurs in warm waters, people with open wounds can be exposed to flesh-eating bacteria through direct contact with seawater.
According to health authorities, 11 cases of Vibrio vulnificus infection have been confirmed this year. One death has been reported.
A search and rescue team member is doused with bleach and soap after Hurricane Katrina to protect him from toxins and bacteria such as Vibrio Vulnificus.
Last year, five people died from necrotizing bacteria. But in previous years, the death toll was in the dozens.
The Florida Department of Health reported that several counties saw unusual increases in cases due to Hurricanes Ian and Helen in 2022 and 2024, respectively.
Here's everything you need to know about the flesh-eating parasite in the US as cases triple.
Health officials said Florida is prone to severe weather events, and after storms such as hurricanes, flooding and standing water pose a risk of infection with the Vibrio vulnificus bacteria.
«"It is important to take precautions against infection and illness after any storm," the Florida Department of Health said.
Necrotizing fasciitis, a life-threatening bacterial disease that affects the skin and tissue, is a rare infection.
While the disease is generally mild in healthy people, health officials say flesh-eating bacteria can pose a serious risk to people with weakened immune systems, especially those with chronic liver disease.
The bacteria can enter the bloodstream, causing severe and potentially life-threatening illness with symptoms including fever, chills, septic shock, and blistering skin.
A study has found flesh-eating bacteria and harmful algal blooms in Long Island waters, leading to deteriorating water quality.
Many people infected with Vibrio vulnificus require intensive care or limb amputation, and about one in five people with the infection dies, sometimes within one to two days of illness onset, according to health authorities.
This digital color scanning electron microscope (SEM) image, at a high magnification of 13184x, shows a group of Vibrio vulnificus bacteria.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends seeking treatment as soon as possible and not waiting for a consultation with an infectious disease specialist or laboratory confirmation of the presence of flesh-eating bacteria.
The bacteria can be found in the stool, wounds, or blood of a symptomatic patient. Click here for the latest CDC guidance.
Original article: Deadly infection: Florida has reported its first death this year from a rare, flesh-eating bacterial infection.