On September 15, 67-year-old Michael Funk died from contracting a flesh-eating bacteria in Assawoman Bay, Ocean City, MD on September 11. Funk waded into the water to retrieve crab pots and had an open sore on his leg. It is believed that that is how he contracted the bacteria.
Assawoman Bay. Courtesy Google MapsAccording to
OC Today:
The cause of Mike’s infection was found to be the vibrio vulnificus bacteria, which exists naturally in warm, shallow salt and brackish waters along both coasts and in the Gulf of Mexico.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, which has been tracking the disease since 2007, these bacterial infections are rare and generally affect people with weak immune systems. The CDC also said most people become infected by eating raw shellfish, especially oysters, although the bacteria can enter the body through open cuts or wounds."
Funk's wife Marcia told OC Today, “The surgeon said if you get this, you will be an amputee in 24 hours and if that doesn’t work you’re going to dead in 36 hours and that’s exactly what happened, it was on the money,” she said. “He loved his crabs, he loved his boat and he loved the waters here. It’s what took his life and I still can’t get my head wrapped around it, it’s a nightmare.”
For more info on Vibrio and preventative measures, click to
cdc.gov.