There’s an increase in vibrio cases in Florida.
“Vibrio is a bacteria that lives in brackish water, salt water, warm water,” said Dr. Robert Rosequist, Chief Medical Officer for AdventHealth Wesley Chapel.
The recent hurricanes have made vibrio cases more prevalent, with floodwaters and runoff.
“Any water that’s not treated potentially carries bacteria,” said Rosequist.
“It’s concerning when we have storms like we’ve had where people have floods and water standing. They don’t know really what’s under that water,” he added.
The Florida Department of Health reported that several counties that had storm impacts have seen spikes in cases including Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Sarasota, Citrus, and Hernando.
“There’s about 80,000 cases in the U.S. every year,” said Rosequist.
Last year there were 46 vibrio cases in Florida. This year they’ve almost doubled, with 81 cases so far and 16 deaths.
“This vibrio type of bacteria. It can cause severe infections,” said Rosequist.
You can get gastrointestinal issues if you drink contaminated water or eat contaminated food.