Health officials in Florida have confirmed the state's first death this year from Vibrio vulnificus, a severe bacterial infection commonly known as flesh-eating bacteria. The death, occurring in Palm Beach County, is the first reported fatality from the bacteria in the U.S. in 2026. In addition to the fatality, Florida has confirmed eleven other cases of the infection.
Vibrio vulnificus bacteria typically reside in warm, coastal waters. Infections can lead to symptoms including nausea, diarrhea, fever, low blood pressure, and blistering skin lesions. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that approximately 80,000 cases of vibriosis occur nationwide each year. However, certain Vibrio species, like Vibrio vulnificus, can cause a severe, flesh-destroying infection, and the CDC notes that about 20% of individuals with this type of infection die.
Health authorities indicate that the bacteria can enter the body through an open wound sustained while swimming in saltwater or brackish water. Infection can also occur through the consumption of raw, contaminated shellfish, a pathway that does not require an open wound. The Florida Health Department has not yet specified the date of the Palm Beach County death.
Beyond Florida, other states have also reported cases. Mobile County, Alabama, confirmed its first vibriosis case of the year on April 24. In Connecticut, the Department of Public Health reported that an individual contracted a Vibrio vulnificus infection in February after consuming oysters harvested outside the state.