A fourth person in Florida has died after contracting a flesh-eating bacterium commonly linked to consuming raw or undercooked oysters, health officials said. The death was included in the Florida Department of Health's updated fatality count for the deadly bacterium Vibrio vulnificus. The individual was from Broward County and between the ages of 75 and 79.
It remains unclear exactly how the person contracted the infection. Previous deaths were attributed to residents of Bay, Palm Beach, and Marion counties, according to the state's health department.
The Florida Department of Health has reported 21 cases of Vibrio vulnificus in 2026, with a total of 19 deaths and 82 cases in 2024, and 17 deaths and 74 cases in 2022. Officials said the unusual increase in cases and deaths stemmed from certain counties experiencing impacts from hurricanes Helene and Ian, which caused standing or floodwaters that pose a risk of exposure to the bacteria.
Vibrio vulnificus is a naturally occurring bacterium found in warm, brackish seawater. Exposure can occur when a person eats oysters contaminated with the bacteria or enters contaminated water with an open wound. Health officials said bloodstream infections caused by Vibrio vulnificus are fatal about 50% of the time.
Cases of Vibrio vulnificus have also been reported in other Gulf Coast states, including Louisiana, which has reported 15 cases and six deaths this year, and Texas, which typically sees an average of 33 cases per year.
NTC Report coverage is based on reporting from the original publisher.
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