Why is 'flesh-eating bacteria' trending, and how worried should you actually be about swimming in the ocean?

Seeing Vibrio vulnificus trending with multiple deaths in Louisiana. Is this something to actually be scared of if you're going to the beach?

Louisiana's Department of Health reported nine Vibrio vulnificus infections and five deaths so far in 2026, well above the state's 10-year average of about seven cases and one death per year — all nine cases this year were linked to open wounds exposed to seawater, and every patient had an underlying health condition. Vibrio vulnificus is a naturally occurring bacteria in warm coastal waters, most common May through October, and it can also be contracted by eating raw or undercooked shellfish, particularly oysters — it's nicknamed "flesh-eating" because in severe cases it can cause tissue death requiring amputation, and about 1 in 5 people who get seriously infected die, sometimes within a day or two. For the average healthy beachgoer without an open wound, the practical risk is low — but people with liver disease, cancer, diabetes, HIV, a weakened immune system, or those taking stomach-acid-reducing medication are at meaningfully higher risk of a severe outcome and should be more cautious. Louisiana health officials' actual advice: avoid brackish or salt water entirely if you have any open wound (including minor cuts and scrapes), or cover it completely with a waterproof bandage if you can't avoid the water; cook seafood thoroughly; and seek medical attention quickly if a wound becomes red, swollen, warm, or painful after any seawater exposure, since this infection can progress fast.