- Florida has reported its first death this year from Vibrio vulnificus, commonly known as 'flesh-eating bacteria,' with a patient aged between 80 and 84 dying in Palm Beach County.
- So far in 2026, Florida has confirmed 12 Vibrio vulnificus infections across various counties, including two additional cases in Palm Beach and Miami-Dade.
- This year's cases follow five deaths and 33 confirmed infections in 2025, and 19 deaths and 82 infections in 2024, with an unusual rise in 2024 linked to Hurricane Helene's aftermath.
- The bacteria thrives in warm, brackish coastal waters, typically from May to October, and infections occur from eating raw or undercooked shellfish or exposing open wounds to contaminated water.
- Vibrio vulnificus infections can be life-threatening, causing severe symptoms like blistering skin lesions and septic shock, with older adults and those with weakened immune systems at higher risk; health officials advise caution with coastal waters and shellfish.
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