Florida reports highest number of shark bites in 2022

More people were bit by sharks in Florida last year than anywhere else on Earth, according to the University of Florida’s International Shark Attack File.

The new numbers show there were 57 unprovoked attacks last year, and of those 16 were in Florida.

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None of the bites in Florida were fatal, but, according to the University of Florida, two — likely from bull sharks — required medical treatment resulting in amputations.

In total, the statistics show five of the bites worldwide were fatal. The only fatality in the U.S. happened late in the year when a snorkeler went missing along Keawakapu Beach in Maui, Hawaii.

Read: Tourist bitten by large shark at Key West beach, police say

Overall, officials said the number of unprovoked shark attacks worldwide decreased last year, tying with 2020 for the fewest number of reported incidents in the last 10 years.

Officials said the chances of being bitten by a shark remain incredibly low. The International Shark Attack File recommends reducing your risk of a shark bite by removing reflective jewelry before entering the water and avoiding areas where people are fishing.

VIDEO: U.S. Coast Guard rescues shark bite victim from boat near the Bahamas The United States Coast rescued a man from a boat Monday after he was bitten by a shark while fishing near the Bahamas. (WFTV.com News Staff/U.S. Coast Guard District 7)

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