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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Erin Keller

Fourth person dies after contacting ‘flesh-eating’ bacteria linked to raw oysters

  • A Broward County resident in their 70s has become the fourth person in Florida to die from a Vibrio vulnificus infection in 2026.
  • Florida health data shows 21 recorded cases of the waterborne bacteria this year, with earlier deaths reported in Bay, Palm Beach , and Marion counties.
  • Vibrio vulnificus naturally thrives in warm coastal waters and is commonly contracted by eating raw shellfish or exposing open wounds to contaminated water.
  • Often referred to as a flesh-eating bacteria, severe infections can cause rapid tissue destruction, amputation, or death within two days.
  • Health officials advise thoroughly cooking oysters and keeping cuts or new piercings out of brackish and saltwater to lower infection risks.

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