2 Dead In FL, LA After Eating Oysters Tainted With Flesh-Eating Bacteria: Reports

Two people recently died from consuming raw oysters contaminated with the so-called “flesh eating bacteria,” Vibrio vulnificus.

Both deaths were traced to oysters harvested in Louisiana and served at restaurants in Florida and Louisiana, Fox News reported. Authorities have not said where the Florida victim lived, or consumed the tainted oysters.

So far in 2025, there have been 23 cases of people infected with Vibrio vulnificus in Florida, according to data from state health officials.

There have also been five deaths — two in Bay counties and one each in Broward, Hillsborough and St. Johns counties.

Broward has seen the highest number of cases of all Florida counties with three reported this year.

The bacteria is a gateway to necrotizing fasciitis, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said is a "severe infection in which the flesh around an open wound dies."

"Many people with Vibrio vulnificus infection can get seriously ill and need intensive care or limb amputation. About 1 in 5 people with this infection die, sometimes within a day or two of becoming ill," the CDC added.

In 2024, there were 82 cases and 19 cases reported across the Sunshine State, data shows. That’s the highest number of cases and deaths recorded in the state over the past decade.

Last year, Pinellas County saw the most cases — 15 — and the most deaths — three — from the bacteria in Florida. The increase in Pinellas and several other counties was likely because of hurricane flooding, health officials said.

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Vibrio vulnificus naturally occurs in warm, brackish seawater, which is a mix of fresh and saltwater.

Oysters get their food by filtering out sea water. When that water is ripe with bacteria, a single oyster could contain as many as a million Vibrio vulnificus cells, Dr. Jom Oliver, a professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, told CNN.

Per the CDC, these are symptoms of Vibrio vulnificus:

• Watery diarrhea
• Stomach cramps
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Fever
• Chills

Signs and symptoms of Vibrio bloodstream infection

• Fever
• Chills
• Dangerously low blood pressure
• Blistering skin lesions

Signs and symptoms of Vibrio wound infection

• Fever
• Redness
• Pain
• Swelling
• Warmth
• Discoloration (turning a color other than normal)

See safety precautions from Florida Health:

• Avoid swimming or wading in floodwaters, standing water, sea water, and brackish water, if possible.
• Cover open cuts or wounds with waterproof bandages if they could come in contact with floodwaters, standing water, sea water, or brackish water.
• Wash skin and any open cuts or wounds thoroughly with soap and clean water after any contact with floodwaters.