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Two people have died from eating raw oysters that were contaminated with a flesh-eating bacteria, Louisiana health officials said. 

Vibrio vulnificus is a bacteria that occurs in warm coastal waters. It is more common between May and October. The bacteria can cause illness when an open wound is exposed to contaminated waters, or when a person eats raw or undercooked seafood. Oysters are particularly risky, state health officials . 

The bacteria can cause life-threatening necrotizing fasciitis, which may result in limb amputation, according to the . About one in five people with a Vibrio vulnificus infection die, the CDC said. 

There have been 22 cases of Vibrio vulnificus infection in Louisiana residents, the state department of health said. All of the victims were hospitalized. Four people have died, the health department said. 

Two of the deaths were among people who had eaten raw Louisiana oysters. The other two deaths were among people who reported exposing an open wound to seawater. None of the victims have been identified. One of the victims who ate contaminated oysters was a Louisiana resident. The other lived out of state, the health department said. 

Louisiana has been seeing a higher number of Vibrio vulnificus infections and deaths, the state's health department said. During the past 10 years, the state has seen an average of seven infections and one death per year. 

Risk of the bacteria is rising due to . Earlier this mont, Florida confirmed 13 cases of Vibrio vulnificus across 11 counties. Eight victims died, . Cases of the bacteria have been reported recently as far north as , Connecticut and New York.