A father has recently passed away due to a flesh-eating bacteria, Vibrio vulnificus, which has also been responsible for the deaths of nine others and has led to multiple hospitalizations. Health officials along the Gulf Coast have been issuing serious warnings about this bacterium, which has caused fatalities in both Louisiana and Florida this year.
Basil Kennedy, a resident of New Orleans, Mississippi, is the latest person to succumb to this dangerous bacteria, which typically thrives in coastal waters such as saltwater or brackish water. The 77-year-old passed away on July 21, just days after becoming infected following a sailing trip.
Reports from PEOPLE indicate that Basil’s leg became infected after he scratched it on his boat trailer while launching into the water near his Bay St. Louis home. He used hydrogen peroxide for cleaning and bandaged the wound, but within three days, symptoms like vomiting, fever, and early signs of septic shock began to appear.
Medical professionals conducted emergency surgery on Basil to remove the infected tissue, identifying the cause as the flesh-eating bacteria. Despite their efforts, he ultimately died from organ failure.
Basil’s daughters, Kay Kennedy Regimbal and Rebekah Kennedy, are now advocating awareness for Vibrio vulnificus, honoring their father who they described as ‘happy’ and the ‘life of the party.’
Rebekah expressed their sentiment to the Daily Mail: “While we are grieving the loss of our husband, dad, and grandfather, we do not want this to create fear of the water. Our family has always loved the Gulf Coast and the connection it brings to nature and each other. We are sharing our experience only in the hope that it might help someone else.”
Kay emphasized the importance of education rather than fear: “There doesn’t need to be a fear of the water. There needs to be an education and a knowledge of if you have a cut, if you potentially could have been exposed, if there is a risk, how to handle it and what to do,” she told The Advocate. She also mentioned that “All of our favorite family memories are on the water. My dad would be devastated to hear that people fear his most favorite thing in the world.”
This incident occurs amid rising cases of the bacteria, with state health departments reporting an increase. The Florida Department of Health has documented 16 cases of Vibrio vulnificus across 12 counties, leading to five deaths this year. Meanwhile, the Louisiana Department of Health has recorded 17 infections and four fatalities, with 75 percent of cases stemming from water contact rather than food consumption.
The Louisiana health department noted an increase in infections, with current case numbers exceeding typical reports. Vibrio bacteria cause around 80,000 illnesses annually in the United States, with V. vulnificus being particularly dangerous due to its potential to cause severe infections. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlights that the bacterium naturally thrives in warm coastal waters.
Infections can occur when people with open wounds, such as tattoos, piercings, or cuts, come into contact with the water. However, most infections result from consuming raw or undercooked shellfish, like oysters, as the bacteria can accumulate within, accounting for approximately 10 percent of cases. The bacteria is not known to spread from person to person.