Hurricane Idalia: Warnings as flesh-eating bacteria lurk in post-hurricane floodwaters
Hurricane Idalia may have passed, but a hidden threat lingers in its aftermath.
Florida health officials are warning Labor Day weekend beachgoers in affected areas to be cautious of floodwaters, which may carry Vibrio vulnificus, a rare and potentially lethal flesh-eating bacterium.
Florida’s Health Department emphasises the importance of treating this threat seriously, comparing it to respecting alligators and rattlesnakes.
The risk of Vibrio infections surged in coastal regions of Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas due to Idalia’s storm surges mixing salty seawater with heavy rainfall, creating ideal conditions for the bacteria to thrive.
V vulnificus, among various Vibrio types, is the most dangerous and infects about 80,000 individuals in the US annually, resulting in approximately 100 deaths, with numbers rising after hurricanes.
The rare and potentially deadly type of flesh-eating bacterium “shouldn’t be taken lightly,” Florida Health Department press secretary Jae Williams told Sky News affiliate NBC News. “It needs to be treated with proper respect – the same way we respect alligators and rattlesnakes.”
Infections typically occur through skin cuts while wading through contaminated water, causing rapid tissue destruction.
Immediate medical attention and antibiotics are crucial, as Vibrio is among the fastest-growing bacteria. In severe cases, amputation may be necessary, and fatalities can occur within a day of exposure.
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Hurricane before and after images
Vibrio bacteria like to live in places where warm, salty seawater mixes with freshwater, like estuaries and inlets, and hurricanes can make these conditions happen.
During Hurricane Idalia, the storm surge pushed salty seawater onto land, and then it rained a lot.
“The rainwater, being freshwater, dilutes the seawater and brings the salinity down,” said James Oliver, a retired professor of microbiology at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. That mixture creates the perfect condition for the bacteria to thrive and spread.
Consuming raw oysters represents another infection route, as oysters filter water through their gills, potentially containing Vibrio.
A vehicle in a canal after the arrival of Hurricane Idalia in Horseshoe Beach, Florida
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Among various types of Vibrio, V vulnificus is the most harmful. These bacteria infect around 80,000 people in the United States each year, resulting in approximately 100 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Warmer waters have expanded the geographic reach and frequency of Vibrio cases, increasing the risk for people along the southeastern US coast, including states like Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
Cook your oysters and cover cuts and sores
To avoid contracting the infection, experts advise cooking oysters to destroy the bacteria. But for beachgoers, there is likely no way to avoid Vibrio.
“It is virtually guaranteed that if you wade into coastal waters this weekend, you will encounter such bacteria,” Mr Oliver said. “While that is a scary statement, it is important to understand that the risk for becoming sick from that encounter is extremely low for the vast majority of people.”
If people have open cuts or sores, it’s important to fully cover them before going into brackish water or simply avoid getting in.
“If you’ve got any sort of wound on your leg or develop a wound while you’re at the beach, you really want to try to protect yourself and not expose yourself to water in those cases,” said Dr Rachael Lee, an associate professor in the division of infectious diseases at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
“If you don’t have wounds, then the risk of wading in the water is practically zero,” she said.
Donald Trump has waded into the debate surrounding Sydney Sweeney’s jeans ad.
The American Eagle ad, which features the 27-year-old actress, who starred in the HBO series Euphoria and White Lotus, has the tagline “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans”.
It has sparked a debate in the US over race and Western beauty standards.
One of the Sydney Sweeney jeans ads. Pic: AP
In a Truth Social post, the US president described it as the “hottest ad out there”.
Hailing Sweeney as a “registered Republican”, he said the jeans are “flying off the shelves”, adding: “Go get ’em Sydney!”
Most of the criticism of the ad has centred on videos using the word “genes” instead of “jeans”, with one in which Sweeney says: “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair colour, personality and even eye colour. My jeans are blue.”
Critics argued the play on words potentially promotes eugenics, a discredited theory that believed humanity could be improved through the selective breeding of certain traits.
But others have defended the ad, saying the critics are reading too much into its message.
The video appeared on American Eagle’s Facebook page and other social media channels, but is not part of the ad campaign.
In a statement on Instagram on Friday, American Eagle Outfitters said the campaign “is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story. We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.”
Stocks in American Eagle Outfitters jumped by 23.3% after Mr Trump’s intervention.
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In his Truth Social post, which he reposted three times to fix various typos, Mr Trump compared the ad with “woke” ones “on the other side of the ledger” – as he criticised other companies, as well as hitting out at Taylor Swift.
“The tide has seriously turned – Being WOKE is for losers, being Republican is what you want to be,” he wrote.
Sky News has contacted Sweeney’s agent for comment.
Police in Tennessee have discovered 14 improvised explosive devices in a man’s home as they were arresting him, the local sheriff’s office said.
Officers were executing a warrant in the home of Kevin Wade O’Neal in Old Fort, about 45 miles (70km) east of Chattanooga, after he had threatened to kill public officials and law enforcement personnel in Polk County.
After arresting the 54-year-old, officers noticed “something smouldering” in the bedroom where he was found.
Kevin Wade O’Neal. Pic: Polk County Sheriff’s Office
On closer inspection, they discovered an improvised explosive device and evacuated the house until bomb squad officers arrived at the scene.
Fourteen devices were found inside the property – none of which detonated.
Improvised explosive devices were found in Kevin Wade O’Neal’s home. Pic: Polk County Sheriff’s Office
Kevin Wade O’Neal’s home in Old Fort, Tennessee. Pic: Polk County Sheriff’s Office
O’Neal was charged with 11 counts of attempted first-degree murder, corresponding to nine officers and two other people inside the property when the suspect tried to detonate the devices.
He also faces 14 counts of prohibited weapons and one count of possession of explosive components.
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O’Neal is being held at the Polk County jail and his bond is yet to be determined.
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