Efforts to clean up Florida from the effects of Hurricane Ian continue so far
A county in Florida, which was badly damaged by Hurricane Ian last month, has seen an increase in the number of cases and deaths from the human flesh-eating bacteria.
Officials in Lee County, which was the meeting point of the Category 4 storm with land on September 28, confirmed that the number of infections with this type of bacteria reached 29 cases, in addition to four deaths.
And discovered those cases, with the exception of only two cases, after the hurricane that swept the region.
Vibrio faltifix infection is transmitted by the entry of this type of bacteria into the body through open cut wounds.
These bacteria live in warm, highly saline waters such as stagnant flood waters.
A spokesperson for the Lee County Public Health Authority said Monday that “the Lee County Public Health Authority in Florida is monitoring the abnormal increase in the number of Vibrio faltifix infections as a result of exposure to stagnant floodwaters left by Hurricane Ian.”
The statement urged residents of the area to be “aware at all times of the potential risks that may result from exposure to superficial and cut wounds and scratches in the skin to warm, highly saline water, and salt water in general.”
“Sewage intrusion, caused by Hurricane Ian, may lead to increased levels of bacteria. As the situation evolves in the post-cyclone period, people should take preventive measures against infections and diseases that may be caused by Vibrio faltifixes,” he added.
And three cases appeared in Collier County, south of Lee County, Florida, which officials said were likely to have been infected with causes related to the storm.
And 11 people have died from this type of infection in Florida this year, in addition to 65 people have been confirmed to have this infection so far, according to data issued by the state’s health authorities. Officials suggested that about half of this number of cases were infected with this bacteria as a result of the hurricane.
The state of Florida recorded 34 cases of this infection in addition to 10 deaths from infection in 2021. The relevant health authorities also suggested that this type of bacteria was the cause of the death of 7 people in 2020.
These bacteria are also called “flesh-eating” because they cause necrotizing skin infection, a condition that causes tissue damage, but it’s not the only species that causes it.
Statistics from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States indicate that one in five people infected with Vibrio Valtifix will die a day or two after becoming ill.
The infection may cause sepsis, and treatment providers may resort to amputation to prevent the infection from spreading to other parts of the patient’s body.