Florida health officials are warning that high levels of flesh-eating Vibrio bacteria
have been detected in the waters off the state’s coast,
Gawker reports.
The naturally-occurring bacteria, which thrives in warm and moderately salty water, causes about 80,000 illnesses and 100 deaths in the U.S. yearly and killed at least 11 people in Florida last year, according to Florida Today.
The bacteria is especially dangerous to people with weak immune systems and kills about up to 50 percent of the people infected with it.
It can be contracted by eating tainted raw shellfish and oysters, but also by swimming in seawater with open wound.
Symptoms of infection include fever, chills, and skin lesions.
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