Vibrio vulnificus cases rise to 8 in Florida; teen hospitalized

Two new Vibrio vulnificus cases in Florida were reported in Okaloosa and Palm Beach counties, bringing the year’s total to eight. A 17-year-old boy in Niceville, Okaloosa, was hospitalized after swimming with a leg scrape on June 1 and underwent urgent surgery for tissue removal two days later; his mother reported he was improving but remained hospitalized as of June 10. Florida’s Department of Health data through June 6 show cases in Hillsborough, Lee, Marion, Miami-Dade, Okaloosa, Palm Beach (two cases), and St. Johns counties.