Vibrio vulnificus, also known as “flesh-eating” bacteria, has now killed four people in Florida this year, according to the state’s Department of Health. The potentially deadly bacterium is frequently linked to eating raw or undercooked shellfish, especially oysters. Swimming in warm, brackish saltwater with open wounds is another way people can contract the infection.
While it remains unclear how the latest victim contracted the infection, the most recent death was a resident of Broward County who was between the ages of 75 and 79, according to the most recent Florida Department of Health data.
21 Vibrio vulnificus infections have been reported in Florida in 2026, including earlier deaths in the counties of Bay, Palm Beach, and Marion. There were 33 cases and five fatalities in Florida in 2025, compared to 82 cases and 19 fatalities in 2024. However, the Department of Health said that Hurricane Helene caused an unusual spike in certain counties.
Cases of ‘flesh-eating bacteria’ have been on the rise in many U.S. states
In the past, Vibrio vulnificus cases were primarily limited to the states along the Gulf Coast. That isn’t true anymore. Cases on the East Coast increased by 800 percent between 1988 and 2018, and the problem has been worsening.
Swimmers, boaters, and anyone who works near the water are particularly vulnerable to the “flesh-eating” bacteria if they have an open wound, since the bacteria can enter the body through cuts, scrapes, or other skin breaks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also warns that recent piercings or tattoos may also potentially serve as an entry route for the bacteria.
This year, the Louisiana Department of Health has reported 15 cases and six fatalities. Seawater or open wound exposure was linked to 14 of the cases.
Last year, authorities reported numerous cases in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, North Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Massachusetts, and Virginia. In April, reports revealed that the deadly flesh-eating bacteria had crept up the Atlantic Coast and appeared in the waters around Long Island, New York.
“Ingestion of Vibrio vulnificus can cause vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain,” according to the Florida Department of Health website. “Vibrio vulnificus can also cause an infection of the skin when open wounds are exposed to warm seawater; these infections may lead to skin breakdown and ulcers.”