The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a health alert for Vibrio, a flesh-eating bacteria, in North Carolina.
Vibrio can be found in warm saltwater and brackish water, and so far this year three people in the state have died from the bacteria.
The bacteria can enter the body through open wounds or by eating raw or undercooked seafood. Most cases are reported in the summer months, when the bacteria is more abundant.
To reduce exposure to Vibrio, the CDC recommends that people with open wounds avoid contact with saltwater or brackish water, that people who notice a wound after swimming clean it with soap and water, and to cook seafood thoroughly.
