Flesh-Eating Bacteria Leave 8 Dead, 32 Sick in 4 States: Officials

Officials in Florida and Louisiana have reported dozens of cases of Vibrio vulnificus so far this year, while Mississippi and Alabama have each had one case.

People visit Clearwater Beach after Gov. Ron DeSantis opened the beaches, in Clearwater, Fla., on May 4, 2020. Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Health officials in several states said a rare type of “flesh-eating bacteria” has left at least eight people dead and 32 sick across multiple Gulf Coast states.

The Louisiana Department of Health said in a July 31 statement that 17 cases of Vibrio vulnificus have been reported so far this year in the state, four of them fatal.