PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — With warmer water this season, North Carolina and Virginia are reporting higher cases of vibrio, commonly referred to as flesh-eating bacteria.

It may sound scary on paper, but the health officials 10 On Your Side spoke with insist it is still safe to go swimming as long as you take a few precautions.

In North Carolina, infection numbers have been rising in recent years. Between January and the end of July, there were 69 reported vibrio cases last year, and 59 this year, including two vibrio deaths in 2024 and one in 2025. Virginia has reported 50 cases so far this year.

Vibrio thrives in warmer water, so there tends to be more infections during the summer months. They are more common in sound-side water as opposed to the ocean-side. Researchers are looking into

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