The Louisiana vibrio vulnificus outbreak has claimed at least five lives so far in 2026, with nine total cases confirmed and every patient hospitalized, according to the Louisiana Department of Health. The figures, first reported Thursday and cited by both CBS News and Baton Rouge television station WBRZ, show infection rates running well above the state's historical average for this point in the year.
All nine patients contracted Vibrio vulnificus, often referred to as flesh-eating bacteria, through open wounds that were exposed to seawater, the health department said. Every one of the patients also had an underlying health condition, a detail that officials say is central to understanding who is most at risk.
Cases Running Above Historical Average
Louisiana Department of Health officials said the current case count is unusually high. Over the past decade, the state has averaged about seven Vibrio vulnificus cases and one death per year during the same period, according to the department. By contrast, 2025 saw at least 26 cases and five fatalities in Louisiana, and 2026 is already tracking well ahead of the long-term average with five deaths from just nine confirmed infections, as reported by CBS News and WBRZ.
In response to the elevated numbers, the Louisiana Department of Health said it will begin publishing Vibrio vulnificus case data weekly on its Public Health Data Spotlight webpage starting this week, according to WBRZ. The move is intended to give residents and clinicians more real-time visibility into the scope of the outbreak as the warm-weather season continues.
What Is Vibrio Vulnificus
Vibrio vulnificus is one of roughly a dozen Vibrio bacteria species that can cause the illness known as vibriosis, but it is considered the most dangerous and life-threatening, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as cited by CBS News. Data from the CDC indicates that about one in five people who contract Vibrio vulnificus die from the infection, and the Louisiana health department noted that death can occur within a day or two of becoming ill. Severe infections can also require intensive care or limb amputation, WBRZ reported.
The bacteria occur naturally in warm coastal waters and are most commonly contracted between May and October, when ocean temperatures peak, according to the CDC. Infection typically happens one of two ways: through an open wound exposed to brackish or salt water, where fresh and saltwater mix, or through eating raw or undercooked shellfish, particularly oysters, health officials said.
Who Is Most at Risk
Both the Louisiana Department of Health and CBS News emphasized that people with certain preexisting conditions face substantially higher risk of severe illness or death from Vibrio vulnificus. Those conditions include liver disease, cancer, diabetes, HIV, thalassemia, and patients undergoing immune-suppressing treatment. WBRZ additionally reported that people taking medications that reduce stomach acid, as well as those who have recently had stomach surgery, are also at elevated risk of severe complications.
Symptoms differ depending on how the infection occurs. A wound infection can bring fever, redness, pain, swelling or warmth around the wound site, skin discoloration, and drainage or discharge, according to the health department. A bloodstream infection can cause fever, chills, dangerously low blood pressure and blistering skin lesions. Gastrointestinal cases, meanwhile, can produce diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting, CBS News reported.
The Louisiana Department of Health has urged anyone whose wound was exposed to brackish or salt water and later becomes red, swollen, painful, warm or discolored to seek medical care immediately and to specifically inform their provider about the water exposure.
A Broader Regional and Climate Pattern
Louisiana is not alone in confronting rising Vibrio vulnificus numbers. The Florida Department of Health has recorded two deaths from the bacteria so far in 2026, following 19 deaths in 2024 and five more in 2025, according to CBS News. Florida officials have linked spikes in infections to major storms such as Hurricane Helene in 2024, which left floodwater and standing water across communities and created conditions favorable to the bacteria's spread.
Experts cited by CBS News say rising water temperatures tied to climate change are pushing the risk of Vibrio vulnificus infections into new geographic areas. This spring, the bacteria were detected in water samples taken from coastal areas of Long Island, New York, a region not historically associated with the pathogen. That finding suggests the warm-water conditions that have long made the Gulf Coast a hotspot for Vibrio vulnificus are expanding northward.
How to Reduce the Risk
Health officials in Louisiana are recommending several concrete precautions as the outbreak continues. People with open wounds should stay out of brackish or salt water entirely, and those who must be near coastal water or handle raw seafood should cover wounds with waterproof bandages, the health department said. After any possible exposure, wounds should be washed thoroughly with soap. People in high-risk groups are further advised to wear protective clothing and footwear while in coastal water and to use gloves when handling raw seafood.
When it comes to food safety, the Louisiana Department of Health recommends cooking seafood thoroughly and keeping cooked seafood separate from raw seafood to avoid cross-contamination, since consuming raw or undercooked oysters is one of the primary pathways for infection.
What Comes Next
With Vibrio vulnificus infections historically peaking between May and October, health officials in Louisiana are watching closely to see whether case counts continue to climb through the remainder of the warm-water season. The state's decision to begin publishing weekly case data is expected to offer a clearer, more current picture of the outbreak's trajectory than has previously been available. Meanwhile, the parallel trends in Florida and the newly detected presence of the bacteria off Long Island suggest that what began as a regional Gulf Coast concern may increasingly become a wider public health issue tied to warming coastal waters. For now, Louisiana health officials are reiterating a simple message: people with open wounds or weakened immune systems should avoid brackish and salt water, and anyone who develops symptoms after possible exposure should seek medical attention without delay.