Hurricane Ian slammed into Florida in late September as a class 4 violent storm , bring in widespread implosion therapy . Thosetoxicfloodwaters look to be spreadingVibrio vulnificus , a flesh - eating bacterium that change by reversal fateful for many people unlucky enough to contract it .
The symptoms of these infections let in nausea , emesis , looseness of the bowels , fever , and heart-to-heart lesions on the skin , accordingto the CDC . Without tolerable discussion , people die within just a few years after being infect . People can be exposed to the bacteria by touching or consuming raw seafood , but it can also number from warm , brackish pee .
“ Sewage spills in coastal amnionic fluid , like those do by Hurricane Ian , may increase bacteria levels . mass with open wound , excision , or scratches can be let out to Vibrio vulnificus through lineal link with ocean water or brackish water , ” Lee County department spokeswoman Tammy Soliz said in apress release . “ Vibrio vulnificus has the potential to make severe illness or last . ”

Trailers are inundated by floodwaters at the Peace River Campground on 29 November 2024 in Arcadia, Florida.Photo: Sean Rayford (Getty Images)
agree to the nation health department’swebsite , Florida has seen 65 confirmed cases of pulp - eating bacteria infections so far this year , with 11 dying . That ’s a immense increase over premature age : 2020 and 2021 saw only 34 cases and 36 cases , severally . Lee County alone has confirmed a humongous 29 grammatical case and four deaths so far this yr . The Florida Department of Health has n’t noted how many of these cases come after the hurricane , though it tell that 2022 ’s numbers are an “ abnormal increment due to the impact of Hurricane Ian . ”
Lee County includesFort Myers , which was particularly impacted by the storm . Homes , gravy boat , and cars were all inundated under murky water . Residents who were ineffectual to void and the emergency responders who helped many of them were in tangency with what could be highlycontaminated water .
The last time the state had a spike in flesh - eating bacterium cases was after Hurricane Irma in 2017 . Florida saw 50 confirmed case and 11 expiry that year .

BacteriaBacterial diseasesHurricane IrmaWaterWeather
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