Thirteen people have died in Florida this year from infections with rare flesh-eating bacteria, as the number of cases linked to hurricane activity in the state increased.

Florida health officials said there have been 74 confirmed cases Vibrio vulnificus infections in 2024, compared to 46 cases and 11 deaths in 2023.

Vibrio vulnificus are “naturally occurring bacteria in warm, brackish seawater” that require salt to live, according to the Florida Department of Health.

Authorities attributed the surge to Hurricane Helene, which hit Florida last month with breakneck winds and a historic storm surge. The storm then moved into the southern Appalachians and devastated western North Carolina with deadly floods and landslides, killing about 100 people there.

“In 2024, Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Lee, Pasco, Pinellas and Sarasota counties are experiencing an unusual increase due to the impacts of Hurricane Helene,” the department said. Hurricane Milton hit Florida on October 9 as a strong Category 3 storm; At least two dozen were killed by the storm, many in connection with a tornado outbreak that occurred before landfall.

Florida health officials said: “Vibrio Bacteria commonly found in warm coastal waters can cause illness if ingested or when open wounds are exposed to contaminated water.”

“After heavy rainfall and flooding, concentrations of these bacteria can increase, particularly in brackish and saltwater environments,” they added.

Once infected, Vibrio vulnificus can cause skin and soft tissue breakdown, said USA Today. To prevent the infection from spreading, doctors may need to amputate the infected limb, although the infection can be fatal.

This is not the first year that catastrophic weather events have resulted in disaster Vibrio Florida outbreak. In 2022 there were 74 cases and 17 deaths; Health officials noted that Collier and Lee counties “experienced an unusual increase due to the impacts of Hurricane Ian.”

While some Vibrio Infections lead to necrotizing fasciitis, a serious infection in which flesh dies around an open wound. Health authorities believe it is some type of infection Streptococci is actually the most common cause of this condition in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Some experts object to using the term “meat eating” to describe serious illnesses Vibrio Infection, noting that even with prolonged exposure it cannot destroy healthy and intact skin.