Overview
- About 85% of Louisiana infections involved wounds exposed to coastal waters, while a smaller share followed eating raw oysters, according to state epidemiologist Theresa Sokol.
- Two of this year’s Louisiana deaths were linked to raw oysters, and officials say the source of the newest fatal case is still under investigation.
- The bacterium peaks from May to October and can cause necrotizing fasciitis or sepsis, with roughly one in five patients dying without rapid care.
- Elevated activity is reported across the region — 10 cases in Alabama, three in Mississippi including one death, and 13 in Florida with eight deaths — with detections reaching Massachusetts.
- A Virginia Beach fatality after calf-deep wading underscores heightened risk for people with conditions like liver disease, cancer, or dialysis, and the need to avoid raw seafood and keep wounds out of warm brackish water.