• Posted August 13, 2026

Rare Bacteria In Coastal Waters Has Killed 7 This Summer

At least seven people in Florida and Louisiana have died in recent weeks from a rare bacteria that can destroy skin and tissue. 

Louisiana reported five deaths so far this year, while Florida recorded its second death of the year from Vibrio vulnificus, reports USA Today.

In each of the last 10 years, one person in Louisiana has died from the bacteria by this stage of the summer, according to the Louisiana Department of Health. 

The bacteria live in warm, brackish water where rivers and streams meet the sea. They can also be found in raw shellfish, most commonly oysters. 

Warming coastal waters are helping the bacteria spread farther than before.

The bacteria earned the "flesh-eating" nickname, because severe infections can trigger necrotizing fasciitis, a condition in which tissue around a wound dies.

Roughly 100 to 200 U.S. cases are reported each year, most of them in Gulf Coast states, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). About 1 in 5 people who get infected die.

These infections are uncommon, but they move fast. Symptoms typically start within 24 hours of exposure, and death can follow one to two days after the first signs, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

The number of infections is trending up. U.S. infections rose eightfold between 1988 and 2018 as coastal waters warmed, the library reports. 

The bacteria have moved into northern states that once saw almost none. Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York each reported deaths in 2024.

Big storms, such as hurricanes, increase the risk. Flooding blends salt and fresh water into the conditions the bacteria prefer, and it puts more people in contact with contaminated water. 

In 2022, Florida logged 74 infections and 17 deaths in the wake of Hurricane Ian, with half of those deaths occurring within a week of the storm, the National Library of Medicine reports. In 2024, there were 77 cases and 15 deaths following Hurricane Helene.

Other Gulf states are counting cases this summer. As of Aug. 12, Alabama had reported 10 infections and Mississippi had reported two, according to USA Today.

Some people face higher risk than others. Those with liver disease, diabetes, kidney disease, cancer or weakened immune systems account for 80% to 90% of the most severe cases, according to the National Library of Medicine.

Warning signs include fever and chills, a painful red or swollen patch of skin that spreads quickly, fluid-filled blisters, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, confusion and a racing heartbeat.

How To Protect Yourself

To lower the odds of infection, the CDC advises cooking all seafood, washing hands and cleaning any surface that touched raw seafood. 

Stay out of salt or brackish water with an open wound, including fresh tattoos, piercings and surgical sites. Cover wounds that might get wet, and wash exposed skin with soap and running water right away.

Overall risk to the public remains low, health officials say.

More information

Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more information about vibriosis and how to avoid it.

SOURCES: USA Today, Aug. 12, 2026; Louisiana Department of Health, Aug. 6, 2026; U.S. National Library of Medicine, Dec. 1, 2025