Florida Reports 8 Vibrio vulnificus Cases in 2026 as Warm Coastal Waters Raise Risk
Updated
Updated · Shreveport Times · Jun 16
Florida Reports 8 Vibrio vulnificus Cases in 2026 as Warm Coastal Waters Raise Risk
3 articles · Updated · Shreveport Times · Jun 16
Summary
Eight people in Florida have contracted Vibrio vulnificus so far in 2026, according to the Florida Department of Health via local reporting.
The bacteria, often called flesh-eating, spreads through raw or undercooked shellfish or when saltwater or brackish water enters an open wound, with higher concentrations typically seen from May through October.
Florida recorded 33 cases and five deaths in 2025, and severe infections can rapidly destroy skin and soft tissue, sometimes requiring amputation.
Louisiana also has regular exposure because Vibrio lives in coastal waters there; the state averages five to 15 cases a year and reported 26 cases and five deaths in 2025.
Nationwide, the CDC estimates Vibrio bacteria cause about 80,000 illnesses and 100 deaths annually, with Gulf Coast states accounting for roughly half of Vibrio vulnificus infections.