By Adam Berls

to your health

To Your Health: Algae Bloom

Jul 11, 2023 | 9:57 AM

PRINCE GEORGE — If you’re planning on heading out to the lake this summer, be sure to take precautions and avoid algae. We learn more about algae bloom in this week’s to your health.

We have an abundance of lakes in Northern B.C. and many will head out and spend some time on the lake this summer.

With the warming weather, blue-green algae blooms may appear in lakes across Northern B.C. Blue-green algae are naturally occurring and can look like scum, grass clippings, fuzz or globs on the surface of water. Blue-green algae can be blue-green, greenish-brown, brown, or pinkish-red, and often smells musty or grassy.

Symptoms usually appear within one to three hours and resolve in one to two days and symptoms in children are often more pronounced. If ingested

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Minor symptoms can include:

• Skin irritation
• Rash
• Sore throat
• Sore, red eyes
• Swollen lips
• Fever
• Nausea and vomiting or diarrhea.

Northern Health recommends these simple precautions people can take to avoid algae blooms:

• Avoid all contact with blue-green algae blooms. If contact occurs, wash with tap water as soon as possible.
• Do not swim or wade (or allow your pets to swim or wade) in any areas where blue-green algae is visible.
• Do not drink or cook with untreated water directly from any lake at any time. Boiling lake water will not remove the toxins produced by blue-green algae.

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Twitter: @AdamBerls

Email: Adam.Berls@pattisonmedia.com