Hurricane Harvey: Woman dies of flesh-eating bacterial infection from floodwaters

A Houston-area woman has died from a flesh-eating bacterial infection she contracted from Hurricane Harvey floodwaters.

According to Harris County Institute of Forensic Science, Nancy Reed, 77, died as a result of contracting necrotizing fasciitis when she fell into the waters of a flooded residence, “sustaining a traumatic injury.”

A family friend told the Houston Chronicle, Reed was at her son’s home when she fell, breaking and cutting her arm in the process. The woman was taken to Texas Medical Center after her wound became infected with the flesh-eating bacteria. She died on Sept. 15, three weeks after Hurricane Harvey made Texas landfall.

READ MORE: Before and after photos show extent of Houston flooding

“It’s tragic,” Dr. David Persse, director of Houston’s emergency medical services, told the newspaper. “This is one of the things we’d been worrying about once the flooding began, that something like this might occur. My heart goes out to the family.”

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), necrotizing fasciitis is a serious skin infection that spreads quickly and can become deadly very quickly. Several forms of bacteria can cause the skin tissue-eating disease, including group A streptococcus. The CDC notes contracting necrotizing fasciitis is rare, and those who suffer from the infection usually have other underlying medical issues.

WATCH: Dramatic time-lapse footage shows just how quickly the floodwaters rose

1:59 Dramatic time-lapse footage shows just how quickly the floodwaters in Houston rose

The Houston area saw record levels of flooding in the wake of the Category 4 storm, prompting officials to warn residents to avoid the floodwaters over fears of bacteria and dangerous toxins.

Contaminated storm water was the underlying cause of at least one other death during the hurricane and its aftermath.

Clevelon Brown, 64, of Galveston County picked up a bacterial infection from standing in flood water and died of sepsis, an immune-system response to infection that causes widespread inflammation.

READ MORE: Satellite images show what Texas looked like before and after hurricane

According to the Houston Chronicle, Reed is the second person to contract the bacteria from Harvey floodwaters. Flood rescuer J.R. Atkins was helping his neighbours in Missouri City when he contracted the bacteria through an insect bite. The former first responder survived the infection.

According to the CDC, about 700 to 1,100 cases of necrotizing fasciitis are reported in the U.S. every year.

–with files from the Associated Press