Galveston Man Doing Post-Harvey Clean Up, Dies From Flesh Eating Bacteria

GALVESTON, TX — A 31-year old Galveston man who died after coming into contact with a flesh-eating bacteria is the latest casualty of Hurricane Harvey.

Josue Zurita died Oct. 16, just six days after he went to the hospital with a severe infection in his arm. (Want to get daily news updates and hear about other events going on in your area? Sign up for the free Clear Lake Patch morning newsletter.)

Zurita, who was a carpenter, had been helping victims of Hurricane Harvey making repairs, when he contracted necrotizing fasciitis, a rare bacterial infection that kills soft tissue, KTRK reported.

So far, at least 80 deaths have been attributed to Hurricane Harvey since the storm made landfall on Aug. 25, the Houston Chronicle reported.

At least one of those also contracted the same flesh-eating bacteria as Zurita.

Nancy Reed, 77, died from the bacteria after falling in a home that was flooded with contaminated flood water.

Zurita moved to the Houston area from Mexico in 2005.

He leaves behind a wife and a daughter who still live in Mexico.

Image: Shutterstock

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