PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — A health alert was issued for the presence of harmful blue-green algae toxins in Lake Okeechobee-S352, the Florida Department of Health (DOH) in Palm Beach County said.
The alert was issued Friday morning in response to a water sample taken on Wednesday and cyanotoxins associated with blue-green algae was detected in these waters, the department said.
Health officials said water contaminated with toxic cyanobacteria can cause nausea, vomiting and, in severe cases, acute liver failure if ingested.
The health department is advising residents and visitors to take the following precautions:
- Do not drink, swim, wade, use personal watercrafts, or come into contact with waters where there is a visible bloom.
- Wash your skin and clothing with soap and water if you have any contact with algae, or discolored or water that smells unpleasant.
- Keep pets and livestock away from the area to avoid any contact with water. Waters where algae blooms are present are not safe for animals. Pets and livestock should use an alternative source of water when algae blooms are present.
- Do not cook or clean dishes with water contaminated by algae blooms. Boiling the water will not eliminate toxins.
- Eating fillets from healthy fish caught in freshwater lakes experiencing blooms is safe. Rinse fish fillets with tap or bottled water, throw out the guts, and cook fish thoroughly.
- Do not eat shellfish in waters with algae blooms.
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