"Flesh-Eating Bacteria Claims Lives in Florida's Tampa Bay Area"

Five people in Florida and three people in Connecticut and New York have died from a rare flesh-eating bacteria called Vibrio vulnificus. The bacteria, which can be found in raw or undercooked seafood, saltwater, and brackish water, can enter the body through cuts or wounds and cause severe infections. Climate change and warming ocean waters have caused the bacteria to migrate northward, increasing the number of infections along the East Coast. People with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk. To prevent infection, it is advised to avoid saltwater or brackish water if you have a wound, cover wounds with waterproof bandages, wash wounds thoroughly if they come into contact with seawater or raw seafood, and avoid eating raw or undercooked seafood.