Florida issues warning over flesh-eating bacteria in wake of Hurricane Ian

Lee county sees increase ion bacteria Vibrio vulnificus, which is found in warm, brackish waters and can cause injury and death

Officials in just one of the Florida counties recovering from Hurricane Ian are warning that a potentially deadly microbe informally known as flesh-eating bacteria has infected 29 people and killed four as of Friday, bringing the total killed across the state to 11.

The bacteria, Vibrio vulnificus, which often lives in warm, brackish waters, can spread when there is extensive flooding, as was caused by Hurricane Ian. It can enter the body through direct contact with an open wound and can lead to skin breakdown, ulcers and even death, according to the Lee department of public Health. Cases among healthy people are generally mild, the Fort Myers News-Press reported.