Man Dies From Flesh Eating Bacteria Contracted During Post Harvey Clean Up

For most of the nation, the images of Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana under water from the heavy rains of Hurricane Harvey are just a memory. While the storm may have made landfall almost two months ago its interaction with the Gulf Coast recently claimed another life.

Reports out of Houston say a 31-year-old man who had been working to clean up flood-damaged homes since the time of the storm recently passed away from what is being described as a flesh-eating bacteria. This kind of bacteria is not that uncommon in the very warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico during summer.

This kind of infection known as necrotizing fasciitis can occur when concentrations of bacteria grow and develop in the warm coastal waters. It is believed that the man who died at a Galveston Hospital on October 16th came in contact with the bacteria through an open wound.

The Centers for Disease Control says that there are about one thousand cases of this kind of infection reported every year. There have been several reported this year in southeast Texas as residents continue to rebuild and restore homes damaged by the flood waters associated with the storm.

Officials encourage you to be very conscious of open wounds or cuts anytime you are exposed water from creeks, bayous, rivers, streams, and even the Gulf of Mexico. Even though the weather has cooled down the threat of flesh-eating bacteria remains throughout the Gulf South.