The Florida Department of Health confirmed on Wednesday a new death from Vibrio vulnificus, the bacteria commonly known as "flesh-eating," raising the number of fatalities in the state to four in 2026.
The most recent victim is from Broward County, according to official data cited by NBC6. Authorities did not disclose their identity or details on how the infection was contracted.
Florida has reported a total of 21 confirmed cases and four deaths so far. The fatalities have been recorded in Broward, Palm Beach, Marion, and Bay counties. Broward has seen two infections this year, the same number as Miami-Dade, where no deaths have been reported.
The infections began to raise concerns before the peak incidence period. By early June, Florida had already reported five cases, exceeding the number recorded for the same date the previous year.
One of the most serious cases occurred in St. Johns County, where a 74-year-old man had to undergo an above-knee amputation after a wound came into contact with water while swimming.
The first death of the year was reported at the end of July in Palm Beach and the second was confirmed in August in Marion County, when the state had recorded 14 infections. Another death was later confirmed in Bay County.
Despite the increase, the figures remain below those recorded in 2024, when Florida reported 82 cases and 19 deaths, a rise that authorities linked to exposure to flood waters following hurricanes Helene and Milton. In 2025, 33 cases and five fatalities were reported.
The Vibrio vulnificus naturally inhabits warm, brackish coastal waters, and infections are more common between May and October. It can enter the body when an open wound comes into contact with contaminated water or through the consumption of raw or undercooked seafood, especially oysters. It is not transmitted from person to person.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warn that some infections can evolve rapidly and require intensive care or amputations. Approximately one in five people infected with Vibrio vulnificus dies, sometimes just one or two days after becoming ill.
The risk of developing severe conditions is greater among individuals with liver diseases, diabetes, or weakened immune systems.
Health authorities recommend avoiding contact of open wounds with saltwater or brackish water, covering them with waterproof dressings if there is a chance of exposure, and cooking seafood thoroughly before consumption.
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