Health Officials in Florida Have Updated the Death Count From a Flesh-Eating Bacteria
The bacteria has sickened people across four counties.
Published July 18 2025, 9:24 a.m. ET
Florida residents are reeling after 11 people were reportedly sickened by a flesh-eating bacteria. Of those, several have already lost their lives, while others have gotten quite ill.
The state hasn't released any information on where the bacteria were found yet, but they have confirmed which regions have reported positive cases, as well as how many people have already died as a result of the illness.
You can find more about Florida's 2025 flesh-eating bacteria outbreak below, including the exact type of bacteria that officials say Florida residents are currently dealing with.
What's happening with Florida's flesh-eating bacteria outbreak?
Four people have died as a result of Florida's outbreak of Vibrio vulnificus. According to USA Today, the rare illness has been confirmed by the state's health officials, and they report that another seven people remain ill as of the time of publication.
The bacteria, which are found in raw or undercooked seafood, saltwater, and brackish water, are naturally occurring and can be found in warm coastal waters where rivers and lakes meet seawater.
Typically, people become infected with the illness when the ingest the water or else get it into an open wound, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Where is the flesh-eating bacteria?
It makes sense that people who are living and working in the state would want to know where the bacteria is coming from so that they can avoid it. However, it doesn't look like officials are ready, or able, to make that information public.
However, we do know that the illnesses were reported in four different Florida counties, including St. Johns, Hillsborough, Broward, and Bay counties.
This type of flesh-eating bacteria is considered rare.
According to the CDC, these types of infections aren't common. Just 80,000 people a year will get infected with vibrio, and only 100 people a year will die as a result.
To put that in perspective, E. coli infections — which is the bacteria that most commonly causes urinary tract infections — occur at a rate of approximately 150 million cases a year, according to Everyday Health.
But that doesn't mean that this is Florida's first brush with it. According to USA Today, there were 82 cases of the bacteria found in 2024. Of those cases, 19 people lost their lives as a result.
The publication credits the spike in cases and deaths to the back-to-back hurricanes that hit the state in October, which included Helene and Milton. It sounds like the brackish water where the bacteria thrives flooded much of the state, exposing more people to it in the process.
While Florida's Department of Health isn't offering up too much information about the illness, they are telling anyone who is immunocompromised to wear foot protection while walking on the beach so they can avoid injuries caused by sharp objects like shells and rocks, which could give the bacteria an easier way to get into the body.