At least 9 killed across US by flesh-eating bacteria ‘contracted by eating raw oysters’ as experts stumped by case spike

AT least nine people have died so far this year after contracting a dangerous flesh-eating bacteria that can hide in oysters.

This summer, Americans should heed the latest health warning when choosing their meals, as cases of Vibrio vulnificus have taken a dangerous turn.

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A potentially fatal bug could be hiding in raw oysters[/caption]

WMBB

Alan Kidd died of a Vibrio vulnificus bacterial infection[/caption]

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According to the Centers for Disease Control, a serious infection of the bacteria can lead to necrotizing fasciitis, which is when the flesh around a wound dies.

Many people who contract the infection can get seriously ill and need to have a limb amputated due to the bacteria.

About one in five people who fall sick from Vibrio vulnificus die, according to the CDC.

While about 10% of cases stem from contaminated raw oysters, the vast majority come from swimming with open flesh wounds.

This year, cases are cropping up in southern states where warm brackish waters – a mix of salt and fresh water – create the perfect breeding ground.

In Louisiana, 17 people have been sickened for far, and four of the patients died of the illness, according to a July 30 Louisiana Department of Health report.

Florida has seen a massive 16 cases in 2025, and five of those who were infected died, the Florida Department of Health said.

In Texas, five have been infected, but there were no deaths, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Meanwhile, 13 cases were reported in Mississippi and 25 more were confirmed in Alabama, officials confirmed to the New York Post.

Swimmers with shallow wounds, including just a scratch, could be at risk of getting an infection.

VICTIMS REMEMBERED

One victim has been named as Basil Kennedy, a 77-year-old dad who lived in Mississippi.

He scraped his leg on a trailer parked outside his home, cleaned the cut, and then put on a Band-Aid.

Just three days later, he was declining in an emergency room with his organs going into septic shock, his daughters told NOLA.com.

Another victim was 78-year-old Alan Kidd, who died of the infection over the weekend.

He went wade fishing with a tiny cut on his leg before falling fatally ill.

“He was just the best. He was all about family. He was all about giving. He was just a really good person,” his daughter Susan McNiel told ABC affiliate WMBB.

EERIE SIGNS

Initial signs and symptoms of a Vibria infection include fever, vomiting, chills, nausea, vomiting, and stomach cramps.

If the bacteria gets into the bloodstream, it could cause chills, dangerously blow blood pressure, and blistering skin lesions.

If an open wound starts to turn red and painful with swelling, discoloration, and discharge, you should get checked for a Vibria infection.

Health officials have warned that those living on the coasts could be infected after a hurricane blows through.

“People were trying to rescue pets or belongings,” University of South Florida professor John Sinnott told Fox affiliate WITI.

“They weren’t thinking about what was happening to their legs or feet.”

People who have liver disease, cancer, diabetes, HIV, or thalassemia are at an increased risk of infections and could have severe complications.

People undergoing treatments that suppress their immune system are also at an increased risk.