Overview

• A swimmer with an open wound at Old Silver Beach in Falmouth has a confirmed Vibrio vulnificus infection, leading state health officials to issue an alert.
• Local authorities say the beach remains open but urge people with chronic conditions to bandage cuts securely and steer clear of raw oysters.
• Summer data show Gulf Coast states facing elevated Vibrio vulnificus activity, with Louisiana reporting 17 cases and 4 deaths and Florida 16 cases and 5 deaths.
• Researchers link the bacteria’s northward spread and longer May–October season to climate-driven ocean warming and stronger storm surges.
• Because coastal waters cannot be practically tested for Vibrio, health guidance focuses on personal precautions and immediate wound care after water exposure.