Louisiana health officials are warning beachgoers after five people died from a flesh-eating bacteria infection this year. The Louisiana Department of Health said nine people in the state have been infected with Vibrio vulnificus, a bacterium that can cause severe wound infections. All nine cases involved open wounds exposed to warm seawater, marking a sharp rise in infections along the Gulf Coast. Officials urged anyone with a wound that comes into contact with brackish or salt water to seek medical care immediately if the wound becomes red, swollen, painful, warm, or discolored. The warning comes as the number of infections this year has already surpassed typical annual totals.