Overview

• The Louisiana Department of Health has confirmed 17 Vibrio vulnificus infections this year with four deaths, compared to a decade-long average of seven cases and one fatality annually.
• Florida has recorded 13 cases across 11 counties and eight fatalities this year, with officials stressing these are isolated incidents rather than a single outbreak.
• North Carolina has reported 59 infections and one death in 2025, marking a departure from its usual seasonal case count.
• Health agencies urge people with open wounds or conditions such as diabetes and liver disease to avoid saltwater and brackish water and to seek immediate medical attention if they develop symptoms.
• The CDC advises prompt administration of a third-generation cephalosporin plus doxycycline and rapid surgical evaluation to combat the bacteria’s swift necrotizing effects.