Hurricane Milton Leaves Behind Deadly Flesh-Eating Bacteria
As people clean up after Hurricane Milton, doctors are warning that while the storm may have passed, there’s still dangerous flesh-eating bacteria lurking in the water left behind. Past storms have resulted in numerous deaths from the dangerous microorganisms, something medical experts are trying to mitigate by spreading awareness.
Experts are warning people to avoid standing water as much as possible and to be proactive in seeking medical help if they have wounds exposed to that water.
Water Left By Hurricane Milton
Dr. Norman Beatty with the University of Florida has issued a warning about the water left behind by the storm. Hurricane Milton has flooded streets and homes not just with water, but with dangerous vibrio bacteria. Entering the body through exposed flesh wounds, the flesh-eating vibrio is often fatal.
Medical experts hope that people learn from previous storms and approach the Hurricane Milton clean-up with caution to avoid the dangerous vibrio bacteria. Beatty pointed to the aftermath of Hurricane Ian in 2022, in which 38 people were infected with flesh-eating vibrio. There were 11 deaths reported due to the illness, adding to the storm’s initial death count.
Massive Storm In Florida
Hurricane Milton was a massive storm that devastated a large swath of Florida, killing at least 16, a number that could rise in the coming days due to the dangerous bacteria in flood waters.
Many were injured during the storm itself and many more will likely be harmed in the rebuilding efforts, putting them at risk. Doctors hope that by using proper protection and seeking medical attention for even minor injuries exposed to flood waters, post-storm deaths can be minimized.
Major Destruction In Its Wake
Of course, Hurricane Milton has left major destruction in its wake, with many problems besides flesh-eating bacteria. Large segments of Florida are without power due to the damaged and destroyed infrastructure. The storm also caused massive property destruction, with some estimates putting the financial damage at over $1 billion.
Hurricane Milton has left behind many other dangers related to the destruction, which are much more immediately apparent than microscopic bacteria. Damaged buildings, including homes, can be dangerous to enter and try to clear out or repair. Downed power lines left behind by the powerful winds are another major danger for those trying to clean up the mess.
Flesh-Eating Bacteria
While the damage from Hurricane Milton was catastrophic, and lingering problems like flesh-eating bacteria could continue to cause problems, the storm could have been much worse.
If the storm had directly hit a major city, such as the nearby Tampa Bay, human casualties and damage could have been significantly higher. There were also fears that the storm could hit another surge, something that fortunately didn’t happen.
Powerful Dangers
As Floridians rebuild the communities destroyed by Hurricane Milton, they need to be mindful of the many dangers such powerful storms leave behind, even those they can’t see like bacteria.
The worst of the storm’s dangers may be past, but previous storms prove that fatalities can occur even after the powerful winds have moved on.
Those with open wounds should avoid the flood waters and any injury exposed to those waters should be treated as a possible infection.
Source: News Nation
