Deadly bacteria, the kind resistant to antibiotics, is lurking in Florida hospitals.
Deadly bacteria, the kind resistant to antibiotics, is lurking in Florida hospitals.
It’s called the « nightmare bacteria, » and it’s turned up in 27 states. We’ve learned Florida is among them.
The Centers for Disease Control found 22 cases of the deadly bacteria.
Tonight the CDC confirms 10 cases were found in Florida.
But they’re not saying where those cases were discovered.
We’ve asked the Florida Department of Health twice to find out if any cases are here in our area.
The bacteria is being labeled as an untreatable superbug, or as the CDC calls it, the « nightmare bacteria, » and it is deadly.
The CDC said 50% of the people who get it will die.
The CDC reports the number of actual cases could be even higher since many people who have contact with the patients may carry it and are not be aware.
“It’s something that would be scary but everything that comes out these days I think they just want to keep scaring us,” said Ashley Fitterer of Fort Myers.
The CDC said these antibiotic-resistant germs could spread like wildfire, making it nearly impossible to treat.
“Sometimes people don’t take their antibiotics like they’re supposed to. They stop it before the prescribed amount of time we get superbugs that become resistant,” said Dr. Sue Hook.
Dr. Hook, DNP, with Samaritan Health & Wellness said she has seen an increase in bacteria getting harder to fight.
“I find multi-resistant bacteria in urine, so if we’re finding it in urinalysis and urinary tract infections, imagine what’s going on within infections like this in hospitals,” Dr. Hook said.
“I mean we have to just not panic at the moment,” Fitterer said.
The Centers for Disease Control didn’t track where the 10 Florida cases were located.
They said that is up to the Florida Department of Health.
They have not responded to our request for information.
