() – Florida has seen a recent increase in confirmed cases of flesh-eating bacteria following devastating hurricanes Helene and Milton, according to data from the state health department.
Hillsborough and Pinellas counties in the Tampa Bay area, which were inundated by torrential rains and a devastating storm surge, saw the largest increase in the bacteria Vibrio vulnificuswhich is usually found in warm coastal waters, but whose concentration levels can increase with torrential rains or floods.
Before Hurricane Helene made landfall on September 26, there had been no cases in Pinellas County and one case in Hillsborough County. Now, Pinellas has 13 confirmed cases and there are seven in Hillsborough.
Florida had six confirmed cases of Vibrio vulnificus in September, before Hurricane Helene hit, but the number increased to 24 by the end of the month. There have been 38 confirmed cases since the hurricanes arrived, bringing the total to 76 this year.
People can be infected by Vibrio vulnificus by ingesting or exposing open wounds to contaminated water or eating undercooked seafood. People with compromised immune systems, liver disease, or open wounds are at increased risk of infection. Vibrio vulnificus.
Of the 150 to 200 cases of Vibrio vulnificus reported each year to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about one in five people die from the infection, sometimes within a day or two after getting sick.
The Florida Department of Health issued a release last week, before Milton made landfall, urging residents to remain vigilant and avoid flood waters, where the bacteria Vibrio can multiply quickly.
The agency advises people to avoid swim or cross flood waters. If someone must come into contact with potentially contaminated water, they should cover any wounds with a waterproof bandage and wash thoroughly afterward.
This is not the first time that a hurricane has caused an increase in coronavirus infections. Vibrio vulnificus in Florida. Following Hurricane Ian in 2022, there were 29 new cases, bringing the state’s total to 65 in October, previously reported.
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