In July, Connecticut recorded the first fatal cases of V. vulnificus of 2023, followed by New York, North Carolina and Missouri. Two deaths were in Connecticut, one in New York, three in North Carolina and one in Missouri.
The bacteria can be found in warm coastal waters, and it can enter the human body through raw shellfish and open wounds. Between 30 and 40 people die each year in the U.S. from fatal V. vulnificus infections, but a cluster on the East Coast is abnormal, according to ABC News.
On Sept. 1, the CDC advised clinicians to be aware of the bacteria when treating patients with wound infections who have spent time in salt water.
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