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Deadly Waterborne Threat: Flesh‑Eating Bacteria Kills 4 In Florida Beaches

Since 2016, there have been 448 cases in Florida linked to this bacteria, including 100 fatalities, according to CBS News. Other Florida counties, such as Santa Rosa and Manatee, have confirmed more cases.

Source: Unsplash

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the bacteria can be exposed through tainted water and by eating raw or undercooked shellfish, which “concentrates” inside the animal.

The CDC reports less severe gastrointestinal symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or stomach cramps. The bacteria, vibrio vulunificus, thrives in saltwater and brackish water, which is a mixture of salt and fresh water.

The consequences can be far worse, though, if vibrio vulunificus enters a person’s bloodstream or infects an exposed wound. This can result in “dangerously low” blood pressure, skin blisters, and necrotizing fasciitis, also referred to as the flesh-eating