Florida Records 2nd Vibrio Death of 2026 as Cases Reach 14
Updated
Updated · WESH 2 Orlando · Aug 9
Florida Records 2nd Vibrio Death of 2026 as Cases Reach 14
3 articles · Updated · WESH 2 Orlando · Aug 9
Summary
A Marion County resident died after contracting Vibrio vulnificus, bringing Florida's 2026 toll to two deaths and 14 confirmed cases, according to state health data updated Thursday.
Vibrio vulnificus lives in warm coastal and brackish water; people are infected mainly by eating raw or undercooked shellfish—especially oysters—or exposing open wounds to contaminated water.
About 1 in 5 infected people die, sometimes within one or two days, and bloodstream infections are fatal in about half of cases; people with weakened immune systems or liver or kidney disease face higher risk.
Florida health officials urged residents to avoid raw shellfish, cook seafood thoroughly and keep open wounds out of salt water, brackish water and floodwater, seeking care quickly if symptoms appear.
Florida logged 33 cases and five deaths in 2025, after 82 cases and 19 deaths in 2024, when Hurricane Helene was linked to an unusual Gulf Coast spike.