Posted on 09/17/2026 5:55:44 AM PDT by Red Badger
Vibrio vulnificus, also known as “flesh-eating” bacteria, has now killed four people in Florida this year, according to the state’s Department of Health. The potentially deadly bacterium is frequently linked to eating raw or undercooked shellfish, especially oysters. Swimming in warm, brackish saltwater with open wounds is another way people can contract the infection.
While it remains unclear how the latest victim contracted the infection, the most recent death was a resident of Broward County who was between the ages of 75 and 79, according to the most recent Florida Department of Health data.
21 Vibrio vulnificus infections have been reported in Florida in 2026, including earlier deaths in the counties of Bay, Palm Beach, and Marion. There were 33 cases and five fatalities in Florida in 2025, compared to 82 cases and 19 fatalities in 2024. However, the Department of Health said that Hurricane Helene caused an unusual spike in certain counties.
Cases of ‘flesh-eating bacteria’ have been on the rise in many U.S. states In the past, Vibrio vulnificus cases were primarily limited to the states along the Gulf Coast. That isn’t true anymore. Cases on the East Coast increased by 800 percent between 1988 and 2018, and the problem has been worsening.
Swimmers, boaters, and anyone who works near the water are particularly vulnerable to the “flesh-eating” bacteria if they have an open wound, since the bacteria can enter the body through cuts, scrapes, or other skin breaks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also warns that recent piercings or tattoos may also potentially serve as an entry route for the bacteria.
This year, the Louisiana Department of Health has reported 15 cases and six fatalities. Seawater or open wound exposure was linked to 14 of the cases.
Last year, authorities reported numerous cases in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, North Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Massachusetts, and Virginia. In April, reports revealed that the deadly flesh-eating bacteria had crept up the Atlantic Coast and appeared in the waters around Long Island, New York.
“Ingestion of Vibrio vulnificus can cause vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain,” according to the Florida Department of Health website. “Vibrio vulnificus can also cause an infection of the skin when open wounds are exposed to warm seawater; these infections may lead to skin breakdown and ulcers.”
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I don’t eat raw oysters unless they are thoroughly cooked...........
Florida Dept of Health - Prevention:
Do not eat raw oysters or other raw shellfish.
Cook shellfish (oysters, clams, mussels) thoroughly.
I never understood the raw oyster thing.
I think its like a novelty and thats why people do it. Kind of like when people smoke cigars but they dont like them.
I like seafood of most types....and i like fried or pan seared oysters...and yest I have tried raw in the past.
The raw oysters really are now the hatch before you even really taste anything...and what you do taste...isn’t even remotely close to good compared to cooked oysters...
The fact that you could DIE....eating them this way as well just solidifies that you shouldn’t do it.
Kinda like the puffer fish stupidity...but just to a lesser extent.
Yeah, nowadays you gotta put some heat on those bad boys.
Ate my share raw back in the day but it’s been decades.
Even back then there were warnings about raw consumption.
Got a neighbor that studied marine biology at UF.....A few times at neighborhood parties there would be oysters....he wouldn’t eat one if you put a gun to his head no matter how it was prepared. Lol!
I will not any seafood raw. Some of the worse parasites ever can be present. Nope, no way, not for me. But steamed clams, mussels, shrimp, lobster drowned in butter, scallops in vodka sauce, oh yeah.
Heading your way soon. I’ll skip the raw oysters and be careful in the water.
I studied marine biology during and after High School and at FJC.
I wound up in the Marines.
That recruiter lied.........................
Check out Stewby’s on Racetrack Road................
I love FRIED oysters, but I will not under any circumstances eat them raw............................
There’s a reason why God prohibits the Jews from eating seafood that does not have fins and scales.
I’ll let you figure out why.
Our history throughout the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries has this constant incidental reference to people absolutely chowing down all the time on oysters. For the life of me I can’t figure out why. They’re just so gross though I’ve had them bad because and that’s at least tolerable, and Oysters Rockefeller, that is chopped up with a lot of other stuff, is fine
“Barbecued,” not “bad”
There’s a Stewby’s on Okaloosa that we’ve been to several times. Is the other one worth the drive?
Apalachicola Bay wild oyster harvesting is currently closed to the general public, as the most recent season ended on February 28, 2026. The bay will remain closed until the next season opens on October 1, 2026, and runs through February 28, 2027.
Current Status: The bay has been closed since March 1, 2026, following the conclusion of the January–February 2026 harvest window.
Next Season: The next limited harvest season is scheduled for October 1, 2026 – February 28, 2027.
Harvest Limits: Due to a reef that failed to meet ecological thresholds, the total harvest limit for the upcoming season has been reduced to 2,560 bags, down from the 4,726 bags allowed in the initial 2026 reopening.
Eligibility: Harvesting is restricted to holders of the Apalachicola Bay Endorsement (commercial) or the Apalachicola Bay Recreational Opportunity Permit. Application for the upcoming season typically opens in November 2026.
Aquaculture: While wild harvesting is closed, oysters from leased aquaculture plots (e.g., Saucey Lady, Outlaw Oyster Company) remain available for purchase and consumption.
Apalachicola Bay wild oyster harvesting is currently closed to the general public, as the most recent season ended on February 28, 2026. The bay will remain closed until the next season opens on October 1, 2026, and runs through February 28, 2027.
Current Status: The bay has been closed since March 1, 2026, following the conclusion of the January–February 2026 harvest window.
Next Season: The next limited harvest season is scheduled for October 1, 2026 – February 28, 2027.
Harvest Limits: Due to a reef that failed to meet ecological thresholds, the total harvest limit for the upcoming season has been reduced to 2,560 bags, down from the 4,726 bags allowed in the initial 2026 reopening.
Eligibility: Harvesting is restricted to holders of the Apalachicola Bay Endorsement (commercial) or the Apalachicola Bay Recreational Opportunity Permit. Application for the upcoming season typically opens in November 2026.
Aquaculture: While wild harvesting is closed, oysters from leased aquaculture plots (e.g., Saucey Lady, Outlaw Oyster Company) remain available for purchase and consumption.
The one on Racetrack is just as good and probably less crowded that the one on the Island. There’s also one in Navarre and Crestview.........
There is no Stewby’s location in Navarre, Florida; the restaurant in Navarre is “Scooter’s Fish House.”
Scooter’s Fish House is located at 1968 Hwy 87 in Navarre and shares the same family-owned legacy and menu as Stewby’s Seafood Shanty..................
Do you remember SAM’S OYSTER HOUSE?
Sam’s Oyster House in Navarre, Florida, is permanently closed. The establishment, operated by Nunn Enterprises Inc. at 8466 Navarre Pkwy, held a Permanent Food Service license that is currently listed as Closed by the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation.
The restaurant was a family-owned legacy founded by Sam Taylor in the late 1960s. After Sam Taylor passed away in 1985, his sons, Stewart Taylor and Scooter Taylor, continued the family vision by opening successor restaurants: Stewby’s Seafood Shanty in Fort Walton Beach and Scooter’s Fish House in Navarre. These modern establishments still serve the original “Samwiches” and recipes from the historic Sam’s Oyster House.
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