Health officials say exposure to blue-green algae puts you at risk immediately
Health officials locally and from the state said coming into contact with blue-green algae will affect your health and you'll notice it right away.
The slime can hold bacteria called cyanotoxins that are harmful to people.
“My eyes are burning. I’m itching. I’m getting bites on my skin that I’ve never had before," said Cape Coral resident Heidi Phillips.
Phillips noticed changes in her health when thick green algae showed up behind her house.
Cape Coral resident Tom Sullivan is experiencing the same thing.
"It's all just congestion. We feel it all night long. You know you can feel it in your lungs," Sullivan said.
Doctor Sujartha Ramamurthy said people living near clumps of blue-green algae are at risk.
“Maybe some wheezing, some shortness of breath. Maybe a cough. It’s going to increase the amount of exposure. It’s going to increase the amount of people having these constitutional symptoms, which may flood the ERs,” Ramamurthy said.
She reiterated that swimming in water with algae blooms is risky.
“Coming into contact with this algae can cause local irritation on the skin, especially if people are swimming in it,” Ramamurthy said.
Health officials also said not to eat any fish caught from waters with algae blooms.
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