Cases of a flesh-eating bacteria are on the rise in North Carolina, according to the NC Department of Health and Human Services. The bacteria is called Vibrio and lives in brackish and salt water.

Fifty-nine people have gotten sick and one person has died across the state through the end of July, the state health department said.

Data shows that this is the second-highest midsummer total in five years, and cases traditionally peak in late August.

Vibrio can be food-borne, likely from eating raw or undercooked shellfish, often causing people to have the same symptoms as food poisoning.

The bacteria can also get into open wounds while people are swimming in oceans, sounds, rivers and streams, which may result in the breakdown of the skin and surrounding tissues.

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