Flesh-eating bacteria death toll reaches double digits across US as infections surge, tell me about this news in (https://www.foxweather.com/weather-news/flesh-eating-bacteria-deaths-infections-rise-us)

According to the FOX Weather report, health officials across the United States have issued warnings regarding an increase in infections and fatalities linked to flesh-eating bacteria (Vibrio vulnificus), with the national death toll reaching double digits.

Key details from the report include:

• Caseload and Fatalities: State health departments have documented rising severe cases, notably in Louisiana, which reported 6 deaths among 17 cases, and Florida, which recorded 4 deaths among 21 cases.

• The Bacteria: Vibrio vulnificus is a rare bacterium naturally found in warm coastal saltwater and brackish water.

• Transmission: People are primarily infected either by exposing open wounds, cuts, or broken skin directly to contaminated water, or by consuming raw or undercooked shellfish, especially oysters.

• Severity and Risk: While healthy individuals may experience milder symptoms, the bacteria can be fatalparticularly for people with compromised immune systems or underlying conditions like chronic liver disease. Severe infections progress rapidly, potentially causing fever, chills, blistering skin lesions, dangerously low blood pressure, limb amputations, or death within 24 to 48 hours. About 1 in 5 infected individuals die.

• Safety Recommendations: Health authorities advise avoiding raw or undercooked shellfish, wearing protective gloves when handling seafood, avoiding cross-contamination during food prep, and keeping open wounds completely out of warm saltwater and brackish water (especially following storms or hurricanes). Immediate medical attention is urged if symptoms appear, without waiting for laboratory test results.