Nine patients with underlying health conditions were hospitalized after open wounds were exposed to seawater, according to state health data.
BATON ROUGE, La. — At least five people in Louisiana have died this year after contracting Vibrio vulnificus, a potentially deadly bacterium found naturally in coastal waters, as the state reports an unusually high number of deaths compared with recent years.
Louisiana had reported nine Vibrio vulnificus cases and five deaths as of Aug. 5, according to state health information cited by People. All nine patients were hospitalized, had underlying health conditions and became sick after open wounds were exposed to seawater. During the same period over the previous 10 years, Louisiana averaged about seven cases and one death.
Vibrio vulnificus lives naturally in salt water and brackish water, a mixture of fresh and salt water. The bacteria are more abundant during warmer months, generally from May through October, according to the Louisiana Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Infection can occur when contaminated coastal water enters an open cut or wound. People can also become infected after eating raw or undercooked seafood, particularly oysters.
The bacterium can cause severe illness even though Vibrio infections overall remain relatively uncommon. The CDC says Vibrio vulnificus can cause dangerous wound infections and bloodstream infections. About one in five people infected with the species die, sometimes within a day or two after becoming ill. Some severe cases require intensive care or surgery.
People with certain medical conditions face a greater risk of severe complications. The CDC lists liver disease, cancer, diabetes, HIV and thalassemia among conditions that can increase risk. People receiving immune-suppressing treatment, taking medicines that reduce stomach acid or recovering from recent stomach surgery can also be more vulnerable.
Louisiana has experienced elevated Vibrio activity before. In July 2025, the state health department reported 17 Vibrio vulnificus cases and four deaths, already above the average for the same period during the previous decade. By September 2025, the department had recorded 26 cases and five deaths. Most of those patients had underlying health conditions, and most reported wound exposure to seawater.
The current Louisiana cases reported for 2026 have again centered on water exposure. According to the state figures cited by People, each of the nine patients had an open wound that came into contact with seawater before becoming ill. No identifying information about the patients or details about where individual exposures occurred were released in the reporting reviewed for this article.
Health officials have urged people with cuts, scrapes or other open wounds to avoid salt water and brackish water or keep wounds covered with waterproof bandages. Officials also recommend washing wounds thoroughly after contact with coastal water and using care when handling raw seafood. Proper cooking can kill harmful Vibrio bacteria in shellfish.
The rise is not limited to Louisiana. Other states have also reported Vibrio vulnificus illnesses during the 2026 warm-water season. Florida’s health department was reporting confirmed cases this summer, while Maryland had also recorded infections, according to People. Case totals can change as state health agencies receive and verify additional reports.
Louisiana health officials continue to monitor Vibrio infections during the summer season, when warm coastal waters can support higher concentrations of the bacteria. As of Aug. 5, the five reported deaths made this year’s Louisiana toll substantially higher than the state’s recent average for the same point in the year.