Flesh-Eating Bacteria Sickness Surges In Florida Since Hurricane Ian

Flesh-Eating Bacteria Sickness Surges In Florida Since Hurricane Ian

By Kay Smythe

Florida is experiencing a surge in flesh-eating bacterial infections in areas devastated by Hurricane Ian in September.

At least 29 illnesses and four deaths related to the vibrio vulnificus infection have been recorded in Lee County, Florida.

“The Florida Department of Health in Lee County is observing an abnormal increase in cases of Vibrio vulnificus infections as a result of exposure to the flood-waters and standing waters following Hurricane Ian,” a Lee County health department spokesperson said Monday. (RELATED: Videos Show Mass Destruction From Early Stages Of Hurricane Ian Hitting Florida)

Twenty-seven of those cases were diagnosed after Hurricane Ian devastated the area Sept. 28, the BBC reported. The bacteria causes roughly 80,000 illnesses and 100 deaths every year in the U.S., and usually infects people through open-wounds exposed to brackish or seawater, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It’s known as a “flesh-eating” bacteria as it can develop into necrotising fasciitis, which causes bodily tissues to break down, sometimes in a very short amount of time, the BBC noted. One in five patients dies of vibrio vulnificus within a day or two of symptoms starting.

Safety tips issued by the department include staying out of flood, sea, standing, and brackish water. All wounds should be immediately cleaned with soap and fresh water after any contact with the above types of water, as well as covering all open wounds. Floridians have also been told to “seek immediate medical care if a wound develops redness, swelling, or oozing, or other signs of infection such as fever, increasing pain, shortness of breath, fast or high heart rate, or confusion or disorientation.

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