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

The XFG “Stratus” COVID-19 variant is officially strutting into the pandemic spotlight. It is new, it is bold, and according to the latest data from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is now the third most common variant in the US. But it is popping up in certain states more than others, and the way it announces its arrival could be by making your throat feel like you have swallowed a box of sandpaper.

While the national Covid-19 test positivity rate sits in the 5–9.9 per cent range, a dozen states are seeing significantly higher numbers.

According to CDC data, the states with the highest positivity rates are:

• New Mexico (12%)
• Texas (12%)
• Oklahoma (12%)
• Arkansas (12%)
• Louisiana (12%)
• Nevada (11.3%)
• Arizona (11.3%)
• California (11.3%)
• Alaska (11.1%)
• Washington (11.1%)
• Oregon (11.1%)
• Idaho (11.1%)

These states are not just reporting higher numbers but are also providing ideal conditions for Stratus to spread. With case trends officially “growing” according to the CDC, it is a situation that demands close attention.

Stratus is a variant under monitoring by the World Health Organisation (WHO). First detected in January, XFG Stratus now accounts for about 14 per cent of Covid cases in the US.

While theW says the health risk from Stratus remains low at a global level, this variant is still on a growth spurt, outpacing other circulating forms of the virus, including its sibling, the “Nimbus” NB.1.8.1 variant. The concerning bit is that the WHO says Stratus could be more adept at sidestepping immune defences. The reassuring bit is that the current vaccines are expected to continue protecting against symptomatic and severe disease caused by Stratus.

Spotting Unique Stratus Symptoms

The tricky thing about Stratus is that it is not trying to reinvent the Covid symptom wheel. According to experts, its symptoms look suspiciously similar to other recent Omicron descendants. But there is one possible stand-out, a sensation some patients are calling “razor blade throat”.

Here’s the full checklist:

• Sore throat (sometimes severe)
• Cough
• Congestion or runny nose
• Fever or chills
• Shortness of breath
• Loss of taste or smell
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Muscle aches
• Nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea

The “razor blade throat” description might sound too much, but anyone who has had that burning, scratchy pain knows it is no joke. Hoarseness has also been reported more often lately. Still, a sore throat has been a hallmark Covid symptom since the early days of the pandemic; Stratus just seems to be leaning into it.

Why the Positivity Spike Matters

Higher positivity rates do not just mean more people are testing positive; they can also signal under-testing. If more than 10 per cent of people tested are infected, it suggests many cases are flying under the radar, which means more opportunities for the virus to spread unchecked. That is especially risky when you have a variant with a knack for growing its share of cases quickly, like Stratus.

The fact that 12 states are sitting above the 11 per cent mark means public health teams will be watching these regions closely in the coming weeks. In the meantime, everyday precautions like masking in crowded places, testing if symptomatic, and staying up to date with vaccines remain the best tools in the toolbox.

Stratus vs. Nimbus

While Stratus is currently the one hogging headlines, it is not alone. The “Nimbus” NB.1.8.1 variant is still in the mix, though it is being outpaced by Stratus globally.

For now, Stratus is the one to watch and not because it is the most dangerous, but because it is the fastest climber.

Final Forecast

The XFG Stratus variant is not changing anything, but it is a reminder that the virus is still evolving and still finding ways to make itself known. Got a sudden sore throat that feels like sandpaper? Do not brush it off. Stratus may not be a storm you can see on a weather map, but it is definitely in the air.

Health authorities in the UK have reported a significant rise in chikungunya cases, a mosquito-borne disease known for causing severe joint pain that can leave sufferers hunched over. Between January and June 2025, there were 73 confirmed cases in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, more than double the 27 recorded during the same period in 2024. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) says this is the highest number ever recorded, with nearly all linked to overseas travel.

What is Chikungunya?

Spread by the bite of infected Aedes mosquitoes, particularly the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus species, chikungunya is not usually deadly but can be devastating for the very young, the elderly, or those with underlying health conditions.

Typical symptoms include:

• Excruciating joint pain that can leave sufferers bent over in agony
• High fever and headaches
• Muscle aches and swelling in the joints (especially hands and feet)
• Nausea, fatigue, and a rash that’s red, bumpy, and decidedly not Instagrammable

In severe cases, the arthritis-like pain can linger for months or even years, turning every movement into a reminder that mosquitoes are not just a mild holiday nuisance.

The majority of UK cases this year were linked to travel to Sri Lanka, India, and Mauritius. All were reported in England, with London taking the dubious honour of having the most cases. However, the two mosquito species that spread the virus are not established in the UK, so there is no risk of it transmitting locally.

UK logs first cases of oropouche virus

As if one virus was not enough, the UK has also logged its first cases of the oropouche virus, also dubbed ‘sloth fever’. This one circulates in the wild between primates, sloths, and birds before occasionally hopping over to humans via midges or mosquitoes.

Found primarily in the Amazon basin, oropouche has recently started wandering further across the Americas. All the UK cases were linked to travel from Brazil, so unless your staycation involves tree-dwelling mammals and tropical insects, you are safe for now.

The Global Bug Crawl

Chikungunya is typically found in Africa and southern Asia, but 2025 has seen it pop up in unexpected places. Outbreaks have been reported in China, the Indian Ocean islands of Reunion, Mayotte and Mauritius, and across the Americas. In southern China, more than 7,000 people have been infected since June, prompting COVID-style lockdowns in Foshan and at least a dozen other cities in Guangdong province. Hong Kong and Taiwan have also reported cases.

Health officials are urging travellers to take bite prevention seriously.

How to safeguard against mosquito bites

According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), your best defence is to stop mosquitoes from making contact in the first place.

Top tips include:

• Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellent
• Wear long-sleeved shirts and trousers (mosquitoes can’t bite what they can’t reach)
• Treat clothing and gear with 0.5% permethrin for extra armour
• Choose accommodation with air conditioning or window screens
• If sleeping outdoors, use a mosquito net unless you enjoy sharing your bed with the local insect population

Vaccination

In addition to covering up and dousing yourself in repellent, some travellers may be advised to get the chikungunya vaccine before heading to certain destinations. Your healthcare provider can help you decide if this applies to your travel plans.

Why the Surge Now?

Several factors could be behind the sharp rise in cases. Increased international travel post-pandemic, changing weather patterns favouring mosquito breeding, and outbreaks in popular holiday destinations have created a perfect storm. Mosquitoes thrive in warm, wet conditions, and with climate change extending those conditions into more regions, these viruses are no longer staying politely within their old borders.

Chikungunya virus can turn a dream getaway into a painful endurance test, and once contracted, it is all about managing symptoms; there is no cure. The same goes for oropouche: prevention is your best friend. In the world of tropical diseases, an ounce of repellent really is worth a pound of cure.

Scott Swift, 73, pop singer Taylor Swift's dad just underwent a quintuple bypass surgery, revealed Taylor during one of the episodes of Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce's New Heights podcast.

She also shared that she had moved in with her dad earlier this year to take care of him for a speedy recovery. She noted that her father has been full of gratitude after the surgery. "He was the loveliest patient ever. He just kept saying thank you over and over again."

Why Did Scott Swift Need A Surgery?

Taylor called the surgery "really intense" and said that her dad's heart always had a healthy ECG or electrocardiogram. He also ensures to get it every year to remain a step ahead of any physical ailments. However, five hard blockages were found in his heart during a resting stress test.

"He's been telling all his friends, 'You need to get the stress test,' because that's what's actually preventative. If you can find that earlier, you don't have to have a bypass surgery," she said.

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Taylor confirmed that her father is doing "incredibly well" and that his humor has helped him go through during the hard times. It still is very much intact in him.

She shares that he did not know how many blockages he's had, on being told that he underwent a quintuple bypass, which means five blockages, he also joked about it. "Well, you see, I come from a very competitive family," he told Taylor.

What Is A Stress Test?

As per the National Institute of Health (NIH), US, it is a form of physical test that typically utilizes electrocardiography along with blood pressure monitoring and exercise, which involves a treadmill or bicycle.

However, in a resting stress test, the assessment happens when the heart muscle is at rest after stress. This stress helps in identifying areas of reduced blood flow like ischemia or damage to the heart muscle, which can indicate conditions like coronary artery disease.

The test involves injecting a radioactive tracer into the bloodstream, then using a special camera to take images of the heart at rest and after stress.

What Is A Bypass Surgery?

As per Johns Hopkins Medicine, bypass surgery or coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) is a procedure used to treat coronary artery disease. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the narrowing of the coronary arteries. These are the blood vessels that supply oxygen and nutrients to the heart muscle. CAD is caused by a build-up of fatty material within the walls of the arteries. This buildup narrows the inside of the arteries, limiting the supply of oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle.

How Does It Work?

One way to treat the blocked or narrowed arteries is to bypass the blocked portion of the coronary artery with a piece of a healthy blood vessel from elsewhere in your body. Blood vessels, or grafts, used for the bypass procedure may be pieces of a vein from your leg or an artery in your chest. An artery from your wrist may also be used.

ALSO READ: 4 Rare Heart Diseases That Are Becoming Common By Each Passing Day

This surgery is done to treat a blockage or narrowing of one or more of the coronary arteries. It can restore the blood supply to your heart muscle when nonsurgical procedures are not a choice.

More Updates From The Swift Family

In addition to Scott, Taylor shared that her mom Andrea Swift, too, under a procedure. “My mom just got a new knee,” Taylor shared. “She’s doing great. She’s scampering around. We’re not quite at scampering yet, but she’s doing great.”

She noted that her parents are her best friends.

"It was actually one of the most special things that's ever happened to me, spending all that time with them this summer. You have those long talks that you don't have when it's a small, concentrated period of time.”