FALMOUTH, MASS. (WHDH) – Falmouth health officials say an older person with an open wound ventured into the ocean and came in contact with a flesh eating bacteria.
“This happened in, I believe, late July, and it takes time for the epidemiologist to treat the patient,” said Scott McGann. “The epidemiology has to occur. There’s a delay to figure out what’s going on.”
At Old Silver Beach, where the patient came in contact with the bacteria, people in the area say they’re aware of the danger.
“We were just playing football a little while ago,” Matthew Godin said. “Throwing the ball around, not to worried about the disease out there.”
There’s no word on how the patient is doing. The bacteria occurs naturally in the water.
Health officials say it’s extremely rare. Most people won’t get it.
“It’s mostly a problem for individuals who are susceptible because they have underlying liver disease or other kinds of immunocompromise ,” Dr. Larry Madoff said, Medical Director of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
The CDC says infections are usually caused by salt water contact with an open wound. There are 150-200 cases annually, and roughly 20% prove to be fatal.
Over the years the bacteria has been more common on the Gulf Coast. There have been dozens of cases reported in Florida and Louisiana this year, with nine fatalities.
People can also get the bacteria by eating undercooked shellfish, but experts say that’s less likely.
The beaches in Falmouth are open for business. Most were unaware of the possible danger. One woman said she would’ve liked to see an alert.
“We looked up sharks, but we did not look up flesh-eating bacteria,” Sandy Bordeau said, who is visiting from Rochester, New York. “Would’ve been nice to know what we were getting into, just in case we did have a cut.”
“We’ve been debating as a group, but no, I think we’re gonna go in,” Peter Maroney said, of Salem. “We don’t have any open…