A report has confirmed that there a flesh-eating bacteria which thrives in sea water has been found in Sarasota County.
Confirming this, The Sarasota Health Department has said that the bacteria is real and that one person has already died.The bacteria which is found in the ocean that has already killed several people in Florida.
It is called Vibrio vulnificus, a cousin of the bacterium that causes Cholera and it thrives in warm saltwater.
"Since it is naturally found in warm marine waters, people with open wounds can be exposed to Vibrio vulnificus through direct contact with seawater," the Florida Department of Health said in a statement.
The Florida Department of Health reports 32 people have contracted the bacteria and 10 have died from the strain. Last year, 41 people were infected and 11 died.
Florida isn't the only state to report Vibrio vulnificus infections. Alabama, Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi have also recorded cases. The deadly bacteria can also be contracted from consuming raw seafood like oysters.