Fourth Florida Resident Dies From ‘Flesh-Eating’ Bacteria as Officials Warn About Raw Oysters

A fourth Florida resident has died this year after contracting Vibrio vulnificus, a potentially deadly bacteria associated with raw oysters and warm coastal waters.

The latest victim was a Broward County resident between the ages of 75 and 79. Florida has now recorded 21 cases and four deaths in 2026, with other fatalities reported in Bay, Marion and Palm Beach counties.

State health data do not identify how the Broward County resident was exposed. Vibrio vulnificus infections can occur after eating raw or undercooked shellfish, particularly oysters, or when an open wound comes into contact with salt or brackish water containing the bacteria.

The fourth death comes as Florida officials continue to warn consumers about raw oysters, which can carry Vibrio even when harvested from clean waters and properly handled.

Restaurants and other food service establishments serving raw oysters in Florida are required to display a consumer warning about the risk. The notice must appear on menus, table cards or elsewhere in plain view of customers.

Florida's required advisory warns people with chronic illnesses of the liver, stomach or blood, along with those who have immune disorders, that they face a greater risk of serious illness from raw oysters and should eat them fully cooked.

The warning addresses a danger diners cannot detect by looking at the food. Oysters carrying Vibrio vulnificusgenerally look, smell and taste like other oysters, while lemon juice, hot sauce and alcohol do not kill the bacteria. Thorough cooking does.

The bacteria occurs naturally in marine waters and becomes concentrated inside oysters as they filter water. Its presence is not necessarily a sign of pollution or improper handling, according to Florida agriculture officials.

Vibrio vulnificus can cause severe illness that progresses rapidly after infection. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says about one in five people infected with the bacteria die, sometimes within a day or two of becoming sick.

Severe cases can lead to bloodstream infections, intensive care and limb amputation. Vibrio vulnificus can also cause necrotizing fasciitis, an infection that destroys tissue around an open wound and has led the bacteria to be widely described as "flesh-eating."

People with liver disease, diabetes, cancer and weakened immune systems face an increased risk of severe illness. Older adults may also be more vulnerable because they are more likely to have underlying health conditions associated with serious infections.

Florida's 21 cases so far this year remain below the totals recorded during the previous two years. The state reported 33 cases and five deaths in 2025.

In 2024, Florida recorded 82 cases and 19 deaths, with health officials reporting an unusual increase in several counties following Hurricane Helene. The state similarly saw an increase after Hurricane Ian in 2022.

Florida health officials advise people at higher risk to avoid raw or undercooked oysters. Anyone with an open wound is also advised to avoid saltwater and brackish water or cover the wound with a waterproof bandage before exposure.