5 dead, 4 hospitalized from flesh-eating bacteria outbreak, health officials say - KY3
Louisiana health officials report five deaths and four hospitalizations due to Vibrio vulnificus, a flesh-eating bacteria, in 2026. The state is urging caution regarding seawater exposure and raw seafood consumption.
Why it matters
Increased cases of waterborne pathogens pose a significant public health risk, particularly for vulnerable populations during warmer months.
BATON ROUGE ( WVUE /Gray News) — Five people in Louisiana have died so far in 2026 from the flesh-eating bacteria Vibrio vulnificus , according to the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH).
In addition to the five deaths this year, four others were hospitalized. During the same period over the past 10 years, Louisiana averaged seven total cases and one death, LDH said .
With the higher number of cases this year, LDH is urging residents to take precautions when entering bodies of water or eating raw seafood.
Health officials said every case reported this year involved an open wound exposed to seawater, and all the patients had underlying health conditions.
Vibrio bacteria occur naturally in warm coastal waters and are more common from May through October when water temperatures rise.
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