Overview

• Louisiana health officials reported two recent deaths tied to raw oysters, with the shellfish traced to state waters and served at restaurants in Louisiana and Florida.
• State tallies now attribute six deaths in Louisiana and five in Florida this year to Vibrio vulnificus, reflecting unusually high activity for the season.
• Louisiana has logged 22 hospitalizations in 2025, far above the decade average of seven annual cases and one death, according to a July health department update.
• Most infections follow eating raw or undercooked oysters, while others occur when open wounds encounter warm brackish water; the CDC says roughly 1 in 5 severe cases are fatal.
• Scientists link rising case counts and a broader geographic reach to warmer waters and changing coastal conditions, with sharp increases reported in states such as North Carolina and New York.