Louisiana warns against flesh-eating bacteria after five deaths

Louisiana health officials are urging residents to take precautions against a flesh-eating bacterial infection following the deaths of five people this year.

Louisiana health officials are urging residents to take precautions against a flesh-eating bacterial infection following the deaths of five people this year.

The Louisiana Department of Health issued a warning about the infection, known as Vibrio vulnificus, in a press release on Thursday.

The department said nine people have been infected this year and five have died. By comparison, Louisiana averaged seven cases and one death annually over the previous 10 years during the same time period.

All of this year’s reported cases were linked to wounds exposed to seawater, and all patients had underlying health conditions, the department added.

Vibrio bacteria naturally live in coastal waters, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and is more common in the summer when water temperatures rise.