MARION COUNTY, Fla. —

A Marion County resident has died after contracting Vibrio vulnificus, a potentially deadly bacterium found in warm coastal and brackish waters, according to the Florida Department of Health.

The death is Florida’s second associated with the bacterium in 2026. State health officials have reported 14 confirmed cases this year, according to data updated Thursday.

Officials have not released the Marion County resident’s name or details about how the infection was contracted.

According to FDOH, Vibrio vulnificus occurs naturally in warm water where fresh water and salt water mix. People can become infected by eating raw or undercooked shellfish, particularly oysters, or when an open wound comes into contact with contaminated water.

The bacterium can cause vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. Wound infections may cause fever, redness, swelling, pain and skin discoloration. In severe cases, the infection can enter the bloodstream and cause septic shock and blistering skin lesions.

The Florida Department of Health says about 1 in 5 people who contract a Vibrio vulnificus infection die, sometimes within one or two days of becoming ill. Bloodstream infections are fatal in about half of cases.

People with weakened immune systems, chronic liver disease or kidney disease face an increased risk of severe illness.

Health officials recommend avoiding raw oysters and other raw shellfish, cooking seafood thoroughly and keeping open wounds away from salt water, brackish water and floodwater. Anyone with a wound that has been exposed to coastal water should wash it thoroughly with soap and clean water.

People who develop signs of infection after eating raw seafood or exposing a wound to coastal water should seek medical care immediately, health officials said.

Florida recorded 33 confirmed cases and five deaths in 2025. The state reported 82 cases and 19 deaths in 2024, when several Gulf Coast counties experienced an unusual spike in cases following Hurricane Helene.