An aerial photo made with a drone shows damage in the wake of Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers, Florida.Photo: TANNEN MAURY/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

An aerial photo made with a drone shows damage in the wake of Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers, Florida, USA, 29 September 2022. Hurricane Ian came ashore as a Category 4 hurricane according to the National Hurricane Center and is nearing an exit into the Atlantic Ocean on the East Coast of Florida. Florida hit by Hurricane Ian, Fort Myers, USA - 29 Sep 2022

Less than a month after Hurricane Ian made landfall, Florida is reporting a rise in cases of the flesh-eating bacteria called Vibrio vulnificus — which doctors said can be found in salt and fresh waters.

Hurricane Ian made landfall in Lee County — which includes Fort Myers, Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island in Southwest Florida — on Sept. 28 as a category 4 storm. Days later, county health officials warned local residents about possible exposure to Vibrio vulnificus.

“Flood waters and standing waters following a hurricane pose many risks, including infectious diseases such as Vibrio vulnificus,” the department said in an Oct. 3release.

As of Friday, the Florida Department of Health hasconfirmed65 cases of vibrio vulnificus infections and 11 deaths this year in the state. Tammy Soliz, spokesperson for the Florida Department of Health in Lee County, toldCNNthat 26 cases of Vibrio vulnificus were associated with Hurricane Ian. Prior to the storm, the county only reported two cases of the flesh-eating bacteria.

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“DOH-Lee is observing an abnormal increase in cases of Vibrio vulnificus infections as a result of exposure to the flood waters and standing waters following Hurricane Ian,” Soliz told the outlet. “Since September 29, 2022, 26 cases of Vibrio vulnificus associated with Hurricane Ian have been reported to DOH-Lee. All 26 cases had wound infections with exposure to Hurricane Ian flood waters that occurred from the storm-surge entering their homes or during post-storm clean-up. There have been six deaths among Lee County residents.”

Vibrio is the source of about 100 deaths in the United States per year, according to theCenter for Disease Control and Prevention, and 80,000 illnesses on top of that.

Most infections occur from May through October when water temperatures are warmer.

source: people.com