Thirteen people have died from rare flesh-eating bacteria infections in Florida this year amid a spike in cases related to hurricane activity in the state.
Florida health authorities said there have been 74 confirmed cases of Vibrio vulnificus infections in 2024, compared with 46 cases and 11 deaths in 2023.
Vibrio vulnificus is “a naturally occurring bacteria in warm, brackish seawater”, requiring salt to live, according to the Florida department of health.
Authorities attributed the surge to Hurricane Helene, which last month lashed Florida with breakneck winds and historic storm surge. The storm then traveled into southern Appalachia, ravaging western North Carolina with deadly flooding and landslides, killing about 100 people there.
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