In the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Ian, a few of Florida’s hardest-hit areas are dealing with a brand new risk—a wave of flesh-eating bacterial infections that may crest in sewage-contaminated floodwaters.

In the weeks for the reason that pure catastrophe, authorities in Florida’s Lee County—which surrounds Fort Myers—have seen a surge in probably life-threatening Vibrio vulnificus infections. The micro organism are recognized to lurk in heat coastal waters, however fester amid air pollution, significantly sewage spills.

This 12 months, Lee County tallied 29 infections—27 recognized within the aftermath of the hurricane—in addition to 4 deaths. For comparability, Lee County recorded simply 5 circumstances and one dying in 2021, and 0 circumstances in 2020. Florida total has recorded 65 circumstances and 11 deaths in 2022, together with these from Lee County. The state whole is almost double the totals from the previous two years.

“The Florida Department of Health in Lee County is observing an irregular enhance in circumstances of Vibrio vulnificus infections because of publicity to the floodwaters and standing waters following Hurricane Ian,” a Lee County well being division spokesperson informed CBS News on Monday. The spokesperson went on to warn that “sewage spills, like these brought about from Hurricane Ian, might enhance micro organism ranges,” and residents ought to “all the time pay attention to the potential dangers related when exposing open wounds, cuts, or scratches on the pores and skin to heat, brackish, or salt water.”

The excellent news is that the an infection isn’t recognized to cross from individual to individual. But, those that are uncovered to floodwaters threat an infection by means of any wound or damaged pores and skin. People may also be sickened by consuming uncooked or undercooked seafood harvested from bacteria-tainted waters.

In contaminated wounds, signs start with redness, swelling, and ache that may rapidly progress to a full-body an infection, resulting in ugly blood-tinged pores and skin lesions (known as hemorrhagic bullae) and septic shock.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, V. vulnificus infections are deadly in about 40 p.c of total circumstances, although wound infections have a decrease fatality fee of about 20 p.c. Aggressive surgical therapies, together with amputation, to take away contaminated, rotting tissue can forestall dying. Those most in danger are folks with compromised immune methods, and for foodborne infections, these with continual liver illness. Besides surgical procedure for tissue infections, therapy contains mixtures of antibiotics.