A 77-year-old grandfather has died after contracting a rare flesh-eating bacteria, with cases of the disease on the rise. Basil Kennedy cut his leg while launching his boat in New Orleans, US, and despite cleaning the wound, developed a severe infection within days.
He was hospitalised with a high temperature, vomiting, and elevated lactic acid levels, a sign of sepsis. His daughter Kay Kennedy described watching his leg swell and blister. Doctors diagnosed Vibrio vulnificus, a bacterium found in warm coastal waters, and performed two surgeries to remove infected tissue. Kennedy died of organ failure on July 21.
The bacteria can enter the body through open wounds exposed to seawater or by eating raw seafood. Climate change is believed to be driving an increase in cases as warmer waters allow the bacteria to spread further north. Those with chronic conditions like liver disease or diabetes are at higher risk.
This year, 32 deaths have been reported across the Gulf Coast, with four in Louisiana. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says about one in five infected people die, sometimes within 48 hours. Kennedy's family is raising awareness but urges people not to fear the water, only to be prepared.
