Health officials are sounding the alarm across the Gulf Coast and beyond as cases of Vibrio vulnificus—a rare but lethal “flesh-eating” bacteria—are climbing to levels that have experts deeply concerned. This year alone, infections have killed multiple people in Florida, Louisiana, and North Carolina, with reports trickling in from other coastal states. For a bacterium that kills roughly one in five people it infects, this uptick is not a statistic anyone takes lightly.

Historically, Vibrio vulnificus was an uncommon public health threat, with Louisiana, for example, averaging around seven cases a year over the last decade. In 2023, that number has more than doubled to 17 confirmed infections, four of which proved fatal. Florida, a state with a much larger coastline and higher exposure risk, has already reported 16 cases and at least five deaths. North Carolina has also logged multiple cases and one confirmed death.

While these numbers may seem small compared to seasonal flu or other infections, the stakes are higher: this bacteria can destroy tissue, trigger sepsis, and kill within days. Even with hospitalization, survival is not guaranteed.

How the Flesh-Eating Bacteria Attacks?

Vibrio vulnificus is perhaps most infamous for its causing of necrotizing fasciitis—a swift, virulent infection that kills skin, fat, and muscle tissue. The "flesh-eating" moniker is no hyperbole. Once within the body, the bacteria reproduce rapidly, secreting toxins that kill surrounding tissue and break down the body's defense mechanisms. Two major routes of infection exist:

Through open sores: If you have an open cut, scrape, or even a new tattoo and come in contact with seawater or brackish water that contains the bacteria, you may be in danger.

Through infected seafood: Consuming raw or improperly cooked shellfish—particularly oysters—can deposit the bacteria right into your gut.

Once infection sets in, symptoms can appear within hours. These include redness, swelling, pain, fever, blistering lesions, and in severe cases, septic shock. Without swift medical treatment, death can occur in just a couple of days.

Why Cases Are Increasing Now?

There’s no single explanation for the spike in cases, but scientists and public health agencies are looking closely at several factors.

Warmer waters: Vibrio vulnificus thrives in warm, brackish waters. Between May and October, Gulf Coast water temperatures are ideal breeding grounds. Climate change is pushing average ocean temperatures higher, expanding the bacteria’s habitat farther north than ever before. In recent years, infections have been documented in states like Connecticut and New York—places previously considered low risk.

Storm activity: Hurricanes and tropical storms stir up coastal waters, spreading the bacteria into new areas and concentrating it in floodwaters. Florida’s “extremely active” hurricane seasons in recent years may have amplified exposure.

Environmental shifts: Researchers are investigating unusually high levels of plankton and chlorophyll in parts of Florida’s panhandle waters, which may correlate with surges in Vibrio populations.

For survivors, the road back to health can be long and grueling. In severe wound infections, surgeons often have to remove infected tissue, sometimes leading to amputations. One Florida patient described doctors marking the spread of infection up his leg with a pen to track its progress—three weeks of hospitalization and aggressive antibiotics eventually saved his limb. Others are not so fortunate.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 80,000 cases of vibriosis occur in the US each year, most linked to milder Vibrio species causing gastrointestinal illness. But Vibrio vulnificus is different: it’s less common but far deadlier. Roughly 20% of infections result in death.

Who Is At Maximum Risk of Exposure?

While anyone can contract Vibrio vulnificus, certain groups face a much higher risk of severe illness or death. These include:

• People with liver disease
• Those with weakened immune systems
• People with chronic illnesses like diabetes or cancer
• Adults over 65

For these groups, even minor exposure can quickly escalate into a life-threatening infection.

How Can You Protect Yourself?

Public health agencies are urging people—especially in Gulf Coast states—to take precautions:

• Avoid swimming in warm seawater or brackish water if you have an open wound, cut, or recent piercing/tattoo.
• Cover wounds with waterproof bandages if you must enter the water.
• Wear protective gloves when handling raw seafood.
• Cook shellfish thoroughly; avoid eating raw oysters from unknown or unsafe sources.

Seek medical attention immediately if you notice signs of infection after exposure. Early treatment with antibiotics can dramatically improve survival odds.

As global patterns change and ocean waters heat up, scientists caution that infections from Vibrio vulnificus will become increasingly prevalent in regions that aren't used to them. Local reports over the last decade indicate the bacteria spreading up the northeastern seaboard, with sporadic cases reaching as far north as New England.

This growth highlights the fact that Vibrio vulnificus is no longer simply a "Gulf Coast issue" – it's a viable threat to any warm coastal area. And with more individuals looking for beach holidays and seafood meals in warm-weather months, awareness joins prevention as paramount.

The increase in fatal Vibrio vulnificus infections is a reminder of the way evolving environmental conditions, human activity, and microbial behavior combine in perilous ways. While the infection remains rare compared to other illnesses, its high fatality rate makes it a serious public health concern.

For now, health experts aren’t calling for people to avoid the ocean entirely but they are urging caution. Cover wounds, skip the raw oysters if you’re in a high-risk group, and don’t ignore early symptoms. Infections can escalate quickly, but with swift recognition and medical treatment, many lives can be saved. The challenge is making sure people know the risk before they wade in.c

In a rare medical miracle, a team of doctors in New Delhi successfully treated a five-day-old baby diagnosed with congenital hydrocephalus -- a rare neurological condition caused by the abnormal accumulation of Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the brain.

While CSF acts as a shock absorber for the brain and spinal cord, as well as provides essential immunological protection, when in excess, it can increase pressure, cause tissue damage and turn fatal if untreated.

The baby boy, born to a family from Jewar in Uttar Pradesh, was born with an enlarged head that raised the potential for neurological damage.

However, as the doctors at HCMCT Manipal Hospital, Dwarka, had detected the condition during the last trimester of the pregnancy, they initiated the treatment soon after the baby was born.

“The biggest advantage was the early diagnosis during pregnancy, which allowed us to plan the surgery well in advance,” said Dr. Anurag Saxena, Cluster Head, Neurosurgery, at HCMCT Manipal Hospital.

How Did The Doctors Save His Life?

The 34-year-old expectant mother, also from Jewar in Uttar Pradesh, underwent a fetal MRI to help doctors assess the extent of the condition while she was still pregnant.

Once born, the baby boy underwent a surgical procedure that drained the excess fluid from his brain.

The highly delicate neurosurgical procedure involved the placement of a programmable ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt, which helped drain excess fluid from the brain and relieve intracranial pressure.

Explaining the intricacies involved in the surgery of newborns, Dr. Saxena said: "Performing neurosurgery in a newborn is always challenging due to the delicate anatomy, very low circulating blood volume, risks of hypothermia, and the complexities of anesthesia. However, timely intervention and a multidisciplinary team helped us achieve a positive outcome."

What is Congenital Hydrocephalus?

It affects an estimated 2.2 to 18 per 10,000 live births globally. Its prevalence is much higher (up to 12.3 per 10,000) in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in Africa and Latin America.

In India, it has an estimated incidence of roughly 0.2-0.5 per 1,000 live births, though some studies suggest rates as high as 3-4 per 1,000 births. Boys are more susceptible to the condition than girls.

It can occur due to problems in brain development during pregnancy, genetic factors, or blocked fluid flow, which can further lead to serious brain damage if not treated in time. However, early diagnosis and treatment are key.

“Congenital hydrocephalus can cause serious and irreversible neurological damage. If left unaddressed, it can lead to severe brain injury, developmental delays, seizures, and may also turn life-threatening,” Dr. Saxena said.

“Following surgery, the baby showed a smooth and stable recovery in the NICU, with no post-operative complications. Early intervention not only ensured a successful surgical outcome but also significantly reduced the risk of long-term complications,” added Dr. Meenu Grewal, Consultant – Neonatologist at the HCMCT Manipal Hospital.

Andhra Pradesh Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav has announced a collaboration with the Gates Foundation to provide universal access to modern and affordable healthcare to its residents.

In alignment with Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu’s vision for ‘Healthy Andhra Pradesh', Yadav announced that the changes will make medical services more accessible and technologically advanced.

He also noted that the partnership will improve nutritional food security and public health outcomes, shift treatment planning from reactive to preventive and focus on a predictive healthcare approach. It also focuses on nutrition programs and digital medical services, moving beyond traditional treatment models.

Yadav further added that the government plans to introduce early disease detection systems, personalized health profiling, advance warning mechanisms for potential illnesses, individual health cards and expanded digital health services, including telemedicine.

The Health Minister assured residents that the State has created a high-power expert advisory group comprising of 10 international experts to review existing healthcare systems and recommend reforms, based on the Foundation's suggestion. Three sub-committees are also being formed to focus on specific areas, he added.

What Role Will AI Play In These Reforms?

“Around 100 applicants participated and, after two rounds of screening, 20 were shortlisted, he said. The shortlisted technologies are currently being tested in government hospitals under a pilot program and a final winner will be decided by the end of March.

Yadav explained that the program's focus areas included AI-based diagnostic tests, portable point-of-care testing centres, smart monitoring and wearable devices, telemedicine tools for remote areas and data integration and disease surveillance.

He said health data collected from various sources will be integrated with the RTGS “Aware” platform to enable early detection of disease outbreaks and data-driven policy formulation, which will help the state go-through with its planned reforms.

Andhra Pradesh Plans To Ban Social Media For Teenagers

Nara Lokesh, Information Technology, Electronics and Communications, Real Time Governance and Human Resources Development Minister for Andhra Pradesh, told Bloomberg at the World Economic Forum 2026 Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland: "As a state, we are studying Australia’s under-16 law, and yes, I believe we need to create a strong legal enactment.

READ MORE:Living in High-Rises Linked to Higher Air Pollution Exposure, IIT Delhi Study Finds

"Youngsters below a certain age should not be on such platforms, as they do not fully understand the content they are exposed to. Thus, a strong legal framework may be required."

TDP national spokesperson Deepak Reddy supported Lokesh's claim and stated: "Children below a certain age are not emotionally mature enough to comprehend the negative and harmful content that is freely available online. That is why the Andhra government is studying global best practices and examining Australia's under-16 social media law."

If implemented successfully, Andhra Pradesh would be the first Indian state to issue the ban and could pave the way for other states to consider such policies. State officials are yet to clarify when the rule will be implemented and if any fines will be attached to it.

One of the world's largest public health campaigns against polio has been launched for Pakistan, where around 400,000 World Health Organization or WHO-trained frontline workers have been mobilized to vaccinate 45 million children. This is the country's first nationwide polio campaign of 2026. This is in collaboration with Polio Eradication Initiative, these frontline workers are going door to door across cities and remote settlements, carrying oral drops that is the only protection against a virus which has no cure. Polio. It can even cause life long paralysis.

With over three decades of effort, polio cases in Pakistan reduced by 99.8 per cent, from roughly 20,000 cases in the early 1990s to 31 causes in 2025. The country along with Afghanistan, remains among the last places where wild poliovirus still circulates. This makes this campaign even more critical to global eradication of polio.

Read: Pakistan And Afghanistan Are The Only Countries Where Polio Remains An Endemic, Says WHO

Frontline Workers Reach The Remotest Of Settlements

“We climb mountains and walk through the snow for hours with great difficulty. There is also a risk of snow falling on us from the mountains. Yet we do not give up. We reach our assigned area to vaccinate all children and protect them from polio,” said Rabia, a vaccinator from Upper Chitral, quoted by the Polio Eradication Initiative.

During the February drive, Rabia trekked steep terrain to visit 146 households and vaccinate 85 children in remote areas.

In nearby Booni, another worker, Momina, described the work as both service and responsibility. “I thank Allah that I have gotten this opportunity to serve and I am trying my best to eradicate polio in my country,” she said, according to the initiative.

Zeenat, deployed in Khayaban-e-Sir Syed, spent long days navigating crowded neighbourhoods and climbing multiple floors to reach children inside apartment buildings. She covered 242 homes, administering oral vaccine drops to every eligible child.

“I am a mother too and I have also gotten my own children vaccinated for polio. Thank God, they are healthy and protected now,” she said in remarks shared by the Polio Eradication Initiative. “This disease has no cure. I want all parents in the country to vaccinate their children with polio drops so they don’t fall prey to paralysis.”

Health workers also marked children’s fingers after vaccination, a standard monitoring method to ensure no child is missed.

Two Drops, One Goal: Ending Polio

“The vaccine is very important for children in Pakistan because polio can infect children and paralyze them. This is why we go house-to-house to vaccinate them so that no child is paralyzed,” said Rawalpindi worker Neelum, as reported by the outlet.

Health authorities say the campaign reflects a simple but urgent public-health truth: eradication depends not just on vaccines, but on reaching every last child.

What Is Polio?

It is an illness caused by a virus that affects nerves in the spinal cord or brain stem. It can lead to a person being unable to move certain limbs, which can also lead to paralysis. Furthermore, it can also cause trouble breathing, and lead to death.

The polio virus is a naturally occurring virus that has been around since prehistoric times, as per the WHO. This disease can be found in humans and is spread through the faecal-oral route, which means it is transmitted when someone ingests food or water contaminated by human faeces.

Poliovirus is a small, single-stranded RNA virus that belongs to the Enterovirus subgroup of the Picornaviridae family and was first recognized as a distinct condition by English physician Michael Underwood in 1789. The virus was identified in 1909 by Austrian immunologist Karl Landsteiner.

About 5% of people with poliovirus get a mild version of the disease called abortive poliomyelitis. It has flu-like symptoms and can last for 2 to 3 days. The symptoms include:

Fever

Headache

Muscle Aches

Sore Throat

Stomachache

Loss of appetite

Nausea

Vomiting

A more severe form is the nonparalytic polio, affecting 1% of those infected which may have the symptoms such as:

Neck pain or stiffness

Aches or stiffness in arms or legs

Severe headache

The most serious form is paralytic polio, while the symptoms start with those of nonparalytic polio and can progress to more severe signs including:

Intense pain

Extreme sensitivity to touch

Tingling or pricking sensations

Muscles spasms or twitching

Muscle weakness progressing to a limp paralysis