3rd person dies from flesh-eating bacteria in Florida

TAMPA, Fla. ( WFLA ) – Recently updated data from the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) shows that another person has died in the state from the flesh-eating bacteria Vibrio vulnificus.

The most recent death marks the third in less than a month , as total cases continue to rise across the Gulf Coast region.

As of August 15, there were 17 confirmed cases of the disease in 12 Florida counties: Bay, Brevard, Broward, Hillsborough, Lee, Marion, Miami-Dade, Okaloosa, Palm Beach, Polk, Santa Rosa and St. Johns.

The latest death was reported in Bay County, where two people had been diagnosed with Vibriosis, one between the ages of 35 and 39 and one between the ages of 55 and 59.

The data does not clarify which patient died, nor does it include any other details about the victims, such as whether they had any pre-existing diseases or immune vulnerabilities.

The bacteria occur naturally in warm, brackish seawater, and most people get sick from eating raw or undercooked shellfish . There is also a risk of infection if an open wound is exposed to seawater.

In the Sunshine State, cases tend to spike after hurricanes or other strong storms that leave standing water, FDOH said.

There were 82 cases and 19 deaths in 2024, likely related to Hurricanes Helene and Milton . In 2025, that number dropped sharply to 33 total cases and 5 deaths.

At least two deaths caused by Vibriosis have been reported each year in Florida since 2017, data shows.