Alabama health officials are urging swimmers to be extra careful along the Gulf Coast after a string of infections linked to a flesh-eating bacteria, which can enter the body through cuts and other skin openings.
The Alabama Department of Public Health has reported 16 cases of vibriosis in the state, with one resulting in death.
Here’s what to know
According to WSFA, the state warning centers on bacteria that naturally live in coastal waters. The risk increases when someone with an open wound swims in salt or brackish water.
Officials said vibrio bacteria are not a newly arrived threat but a pathogen that already exists in marine environments. During the hottest months, that can become more concerning as more people head into Gulf waters to swim, wade, fish, or boat…