Hurricane Isaias is expected to bring life-threatening flooding and hurricane-force winds to the United States, while doctors warn residents in its projected path about the danger of flesh-eating Vibrio bacteria.
Isaias strengthened rapidly into a Category 2 hurricane over the Gulf on Thursday afternoon. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said officials were preparing for the storm to come ashore as a Category 3 hurricane Friday evening or early Saturday.
Storm surges reaching as high as seven feet are forecast along the Northern Gulf Coast, particularly near and east of the hurricane’s center. As seawater pushes into streets and homes, it could carry dangerous bacteria inland.
The Florida Department of Health cautions that “following a storm, such as a hurricane, floodwaters and standing water pose risks for Vibrio vulnificus exposure.”
Vibrio vulnificus can enter the body through cuts, scrapes and puncture wounds. In severe cases, the infection rapidly destroys tissue, causes septic shock and can prove fatal within 24 to 48 hours.
Dr. Norma Beatty of the University of Florida College of Medicine told the Daily Mail that Vibrio infections have been linked to hurricane activity.
“Storm surge waters from the Gulf breach into our neighborhoods and even into our homes, where people are now possibly trudging through water that contains the bacteria,” Beatty said.
She advised anyone with a cut exposed to Gulf storm-surge water to rinse the wound thoroughly with clean water and monitor it carefully for signs of infection.
Hurricane Isaias is forecast to bring dangerous flooding and winds to the US as doctors warn millions in its path about potentially deadly flesh-eating bacteria
Florida reported 74 Vibrio infections and 17 deaths in 2022, the year Hurricane Ian struck the state.
The totals rose further in 2024, when hurricanes Helene and Milton made landfall. That year, the state recorded 82 cases and 19 deaths.
In both years, the number of deaths exceeded Florida’s average of approximately 10 annually between 2017 and October 8, 2026.
Chamteut Oh, an assistant professor at the University of Florida, told the Tallahassee Democrat that the risk should be taken seriously.
“People may not know how exactly the level of bacteria goes up, but they should be aware [that] the pathogens can increase right after Isaias, and they can last a long time,” Oh said.
Hurricane warnings are in effect for sections of Mississippi’s Gulf Coast, southwestern Alabama and the Florida Panhandle, as well as some inland communities in Alabama and Florida.
The National Hurricane Center said Isaias had maximum sustained winds of 100 mph Thursday afternoon, above the 96 mph threshold for a Category 2 hurricane.
The National Weather Service issued an alert Thursday urging residents to prepare for life-threatening winds comparable to those produced by a Category 1 or Category 2 hurricane.
The Florida Department of Health warns that “following a storm, such as a hurricane, floodwaters and standing water pose risks for Vibrio vulnificus exposure”
“Remaining efforts to protect life and property should be urgently completed,” the National Weather Service said.
The storm prompted evacuations in Florida’s Okaloosa and Gulf counties, while the remainder of the Panhandle remained under a state of emergency.
Alabama has also issued a state of emergency for counties along the Gulf.
The NWS said: ‘Evacuation efforts should soon be brought to completion before driving conditions become unsafe.
‘Leave immediately if evacuation orders are given for your area to avoid being cut off from emergency services or needlessly risk lives.’
The weather agency told communities from Ocean Springs, Mississippi, to Gulf County, Florida, to prepare for the possibility of ‘long-duration power outages.’
Fears of a devastating storm have left shelves empty in towns and cities along the US Gulf Coast, as locals stock up on everything from toilet paper to water and canned food.
Images on social media show long lines at gas stations and depleted supermarket shelves.
Forecast models track Isaias approaching the US coast on Friday, with landfall expected sometime that evening into early Saturday, striking between Biloxi, Mississippi and Panama City, Florida
Locals have been told to prepare now as the hurricane moves closer to the US coast. Above are the owners of the Islander Ice Cream restaurant in Gulf Breeze, Florida
Florida local Stephen Page posted on Facebook: ‘Stores are already run over, and shelves are empty at many places.
‘Lines at gas stations are long, and people are in full prep mode. So again, I say, if you haven’t started, now is the time!’
Another Floridian, Stephanie Michelle, said she experienced panic buying at the grocery store.
‘The store was full, the parking lot was full, shelves were empty, and the carts were all full! People were everywhere, and traffic was a nightmare,’ she added.
Panic buying hit states in Isaias’ path, with locals stocking up on everything from toilet paper to water and bread, leaving shelves empty
Gast stations were packed with cars ahead of the storm
The Atlantic has yet to produce a hurricane in 2026, putting the season within reach of a record set in 1905 for the latest first hurricane.
If forecast models are correct and Isaias develops into a hurricane, it would be deemed a record-breaking storm.
Meteorologist Matt Devitt said on X: ‘Isaias will likely be one of the most significant storms of the 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season with a landfall in the US.’