Flesh-eating bacteria cases surge in Florida after Hurricanes Helen and Milton.
According to state health department data, Florida has recently seen a surge in confirmed cases of flesh-eating bacteria after the devastating Hurricanes Helen and Milton
Hillsborough and Pinellas counties in the Tampa Bay area—which were swamped by heavy rains and destructive storms—saw the largest increases in Vibrio vulnificus, a bacteria typically found in warm coastal waters. Concentrations can rise with heavy rains or flooding. Before Hurricane Helen landed on Sept. 26, no cases were reported in Pinellas County and one in Hillsborough County. Now, Pinellas has 13 confirmed cases, and Hillsborough has seven.
Florida had six confirmed cases of Vibrio vulnificus in September before Hurricane Helen hit, but that number had risen to 24 by the end of the month. Thirty-eight cases have been confirmed since the hurricanes hit, bringing the total to 76 this year.
People can become infected with Vibrio vulnificus bacteria by eating or exposing open wounds to contaminated water or eating improperly cooked seafood. People with weakened immune systems, liver disease, or open wounds are more susceptible to Vibrio vulnificus infections.
Of the 150 to 200 cases of Vibrio vulnificus reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States each year, about one in five people die from the infection, sometimes within a day or two of becoming ill.
Before Milton landed, the Florida Department of Health issued a statement last week urging residents to stay vigilant and avoid floodwaters where Vibrio bacteria can multiply quickly.
The agency recommends that people avoid swimming or wading in floodwaters. If someone does come into contact with potentially contaminated water, they should cover any wounds with a waterproof bandage and wash them thoroughly afterward.
This isn't the first time a hurricane has caused a spike in Vibrio vulnificus cases in Florida. In the wake of Hurricane Ian in 2022, there were 29 new cases, bringing the state's total to 65 in October, CNN previously reported.
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