State health officials announced Thursday that a flesh-eating bacterium found in warm coastal water is the cause of at least five deaths in Louisiana this year.
According to the Louisiana Department of Health, there have been nine cases of Vibrio in total in 2026. The nine patients all received hospitalization.
Health officials said that all nine of the patients had been exposed to saltwater through open wounds. They also all suffered from underlying medical conditions.
The health department reported that Louisiana averaged 7 Vibrio cases per year, with 1 fatality. By 2025 there will be at least 26 Vibrio vulnificus cases in Louisiana, with five deaths.
In addition, the Florida Department of Health recorded 2 deaths caused by Vibrio infectus this year. It reported 19 deaths in 2024 and five more in 2025. According to the agency, Florida experienced higher infection rates after storms such as Hurricane Helene, which hit in 2024 and brought floodwaters and standing water into communities.
Experts say that climate change is also increasing the risks of Vibrio infections.
Vibrio Vulnificus has been found in the water taken from Long Island, New York this spring.
Vibrio vulnificus, the most dangerous and deadly Vibrio strains that cause vibriosis is one of about 12 Vibrio species. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States, one out of five individuals who contract Vibrio vulnificus dies from it. Amputations can be caused by it.
According to the CDC, Vibrio is most common between May and Oktober, when ocean temperatures are at their warmest.
The CDC stated that they can spread when an open cut is exposed to the seawater or by eating raw shellfish or oysters.
Louisiana Health Department stated that those with preexisting illnesses are more susceptible to Vibrio. Cancer, HIV/AIDS, thalassemia, and liver disease are among the conditions that can lead to serious illness from Vibrio vulnificus, according to Louisiana Health Department.
Vibrio infections can cause fever, discoloration of the skin, discharge or drainage, and pain or swelling in or around the wound. Vibrio infections can cause fever, chills and dangerously low bloodpressure.
Vibrio symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramps.
Louisiana Health Department warns people to avoid salt water or brackish waters, where freshwater and saltwater are mixed. Wash the wounds after a possible contact with saltwater. Cook seafood thoroughly, and separate cooked from raw.

Vibrio Vulnificus is a rare and dangerous flesh-eating bacterium that occurs naturally in warm coastal water. The Louisiana Department of Health announced Thursday that four more patients were in hospital.
LDH reported that all nine infected patients were suffering from underlying medical conditions.
Louisiana has reported seven average cases per decade and one fatality.
Two deaths linked to Louisiana oysters
The water temperature is warmer from May through October, which makes Vibrio more prevalent. An open wound can become infected when exposed to salt or brackish water, or if a person consumes undercooked or raw seafood.
In Louisiana, water exposure was responsible for 22 out of 26 cases last year. At least two deaths have been connected to eating raw or undercooked fish, one of which was a Florida resident that ate oysters from Louisiana waters.
LDH reported that all cases of seawater exposure in Louisiana were associated with the wounds.
Who are the most vulnerable?
Severe infections may cause gastrointestinal disease, wound infection or even blood poisoning. These conditions can require intensive treatment or the amputation of limbs.
According to LDH about one-fifth of people who are infected by Vibrio can die, and this may happen within days or even hours.
Those with chronic illnesses are more vulnerable to vibrio infection. Healthy people can recover with supportive care and antibiotics, but those who have chronic diseases may not. Hospitalization or limb amputation are the most likely outcomes for people with HIV, liver disease, diabetes or cancer.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that individuals at risk avoid raw shellfish or oysters, cover wounds when swimming in brackish waters and use protective gloves to handle seafood.
LDH encourages residents to follow simple precautions to avoid infection. For example, stay out of salt or brackish water when you have an open wound. Cover it with waterproof bandages. If you have a cut that has been exposed to raw or brackish water or seawater, wash it with clean, soapy water and then seek immediate medical attention if the wound is swollen, red or blistering.

Slate offers parenting advice in Care and Feeding. Do you have a question to ask Care and Feeding? Send it to us here.
Please Feed and Care for Your Pets
She’s made an absurd decision regarding their diets. My wife, “Marianna”, and I both have children aged 6 and 8.
Water is the only drink she will allow her children to have from now on, as it’s healthier. Water only, no juice, soda, milk or anything else. This has not gone down well with my kids and I find it ridiculous. They are constantly asking for milk and juice. It is important to note that only my wife drinks water. How can I get Marianna not to be a snob and to realize that expecting young children to drink nothing but water is unreasonable?
–H2-Oh-No
Please Oh No!
I’m sorry, but you will not get much attention from me. Marianna’s belief that her children will be healthier if they don’t drink juice, milk, or soda is not absurd. Although I am not a nutritionist I have been a parent in an almost water-only home for the past 13 years. I can say that milk and juice are both bad, as long as you get your calcium and vitamin D through other means.
Marianna made a few mistakes here. First, she didn’t get you to buy in. It’s obvious that you want to continue giving this to your children because either you do not care about their well-being or are weak enough to give in when they begin to complain. It’s obvious that juice and soda are not good for kids. You can’t call her crazy unless you back up your claims. The second is that the children are 6 or 8 years old. It’s unreasonable to expect them to give up those forbidden sweet fluids without a struggle if they are already used to it. But don’t quit. Explain to your children how bad it is for them to drink soda or juice.
Wait! You and your kids have an escape route. It might be necessary to lower Marianna’s expectations. There is really no way to avoid these things if you want your children to have them. There will be sodas or juice boxes at every birthday party. Cereals float in milk. The kids will still be able to drink milk, soda, juice and other drinks unless they believe that it is unhealthy. Just because they don’t get to drink it at home doesn’t mean that you can stop them. Tell them that if they complain at home to keep the food as a special treat.
–Greg
Slate’s Parenting Tips
When my wife was young, her father died. My wife never had a good relationship with the father’s side growing up. Her grandma didn’t like that his mom started dating too soon and did not mourn her son properly for an entire year. And my wife’s mother wouldn’t allow her to get together at holidays with the other family members because she wanted my wife with her own family. My wife’s relationship with her grandmother, her aunts, her uncles and her cousins from her father’s family improved after she was old enough to drive. She no longer had to depend on her mother to take her to see them. Her mom, who had “dated too soon” a guy that she had been dating for a while now, remarried and has three children. My wife’s maternal grandmother passed away earlier this year. She would inherit her father’s estate but we had no idea how much.

The “superbug”, a fungus resistant to drugs, is spreading across the U.S. 26 states have reported cases.
The latest tracking data of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that more than 3,000 Candida auris cases, or C. auris as it is also called, were reported this year in the U.S.
What is Candida Auris?
C. auris is a yeast type that has the potential to cause life-threatening or serious illness. The CDC describes C. auris as a type of yeast that can cause serious or life-threatening illness.
The site of infection can vary from skin to bloodstream infection. Symptoms can vary, but include chills and fever.
C. auris is also resistant to some antifungal medications, making treatment difficult or even impossible.
Who are the most at risk?
Patients with serious medical conditions, such as severe diabetes or cancer, are also at greater risk. At risk are patients who have “invasive” medical devices, such as feeding tubes, breathing tubes or catheters.
C. auris is not harmful to most people, but it can spread.
What is the spread of this disease?
C. auris can be spread by contact with people infected, even when they do not show symptoms. C. auris is a fungus that can stay on a body or skin for a very long time, even if the infected person does not show symptoms.
It can be found on objects and surfaces, including bedrails or doorknobs in health care facilities. The fungus can survive on objects and surfaces for long periods of time. Not all disinfectants are effective against it.
What is the spread of this disease?
C. auris has been reported in 3,437 cases as of July 25th, 2026.
There have been reports of cases in 26 different states.
Arizona
Colorado
Georgia
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maryland
Michigan
Mississippi
Nevada
New Jersey
New Mexico
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Virginia
Washington
Wisconsin
West Virginia
According to tracking data from the CDC, cases have risen dramatically in the last decade. In 2024, the agency said there would be 6,304 cases compared with only 48 in 2016.
The CDC has said that the pace of increase in the last few years is slower.
How can it be prevented?
Screening patients for C. auris can be important to stop an outbreak. Some people have C. auris without symptoms.
Additional actions to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS include:

Los Angeles County officials confirmed that a measles-infected person visited Universal Studios Hollywood in the last month, and could have exposed other people to this virus.
Department of Public Health of the county said on Wednesday it was investigating the incident involving a visitor to the theme park who visited the place on 27 July. According to the Health Department, other possible locations in the county are under investigation.
Health officials warn that anyone who visited the park between the hours of 10 am and 9 pm that day is required to prove their immunity to the virus. They are also asked to confirm that the vaccine is still effective.
Officials from the Department of Health said people who are vaccinated or who previously had measles are more likely to be immune.
Unimmunized people or those with unknown immunization status for measles are more at risk. They should be closely monitored and keep an eye out for any symptoms. The health department stated that anyone who is symptom free for 21 days or more after exposure, no longer poses a risk.
In a Friday statement, a spokesperson from Universal Studios Hollywood stated that they are working closely with the Health Department in the investigation.
The company stated that “the safety and security our team and guests is our top priority.”
The symptoms of measles include fever, coughing, a runny or red nose, and a rash. The virus is spread by airborne transmission and may remain on surfaces or in the air for 2 hours even after the infected individual leaves the area.
According to the Health Department, anyone who suspects they may have measles should call their doctor right away.
In a recent statement, Dr. Muntu Davi, Los Angeles County’s Health Officer said that measles is easily spread and could lead to complications such as pneumonia, swelling of the brain, or even death.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 2,300 cases of measles have been reported this year. This is the highest number recorded since 1991.
According to the CDC, most measles outbreaks in 2026 will be among teenagers and children aged between 19 and 30. One in 10 measles cases diagnosed this year among children younger than five years old was hospitalized.
CDC statistics show that 93% of the cases in this year were among those who had not been vaccinated, or whose status was unknown.
CDC recommends two doses for MMR vaccination. The first should be given between 12 and 15 months of age, and the second at 4 to 6 years. The CDC states that one dose of the MMR vaccine is 93% efficient, while two doses provide 97% effectiveness against measles.
Mary Kekatos, ABC News contributed to the report.