Health dept. issues flesh-eating bacteria warning, tells people to avoid contact with floodwaters during Hurricane Milton

The Florida Department of Health is urging people to avoid coming into contact with floodwaters brought by Hurricane Milton, warning they could be contaminated with a form of flesh-eating bacteria called Vibrio.

“Vibriobacteria, commonly found in warm coastal waters, can cause illness when ingested or when open wounds are exposed to contaminated water. After heavy rainfall and flooding, the concentration of these bacteria may rise, particularly in brackish and saltwater environments,” the department said.

The health department said residents and visitors should avoid skin contact with floodwaters, particularly those who have any open wounds. Those who come into physical contact with the water should wash their hands with soap and clean water for 20 seconds to avoid possible infection.

Hurricane Milton is set to make landfall on the west coast of Florida as a Category 4 hurricane sometime late Wednesday evening. More than 5.5 million residents along the coast have been directed to leave the area, in one of the biggest evacuations in the history of the state.