Red tide present near Lynn Hall Park, DOH-Lee County says

A health alert has been issued for the presence of red tide near Lynn Hall Park on Fort Myers Beach.

Some people may have mild and short-lived respiratory symptoms such as eye, nose and throat irritation similar to cold symptoms. Some individuals with breathing problems such as asthma might experience more severe symptoms, according to the Florida Department of Health in Lee County.

Symptoms usually go away when someone leaves the area or goes indoors.

The Department recommends that you:

• Do not swim around dead fish at this location.
• If you have chronic respiratory problems, be careful and consider staying away from this location as red tide can affect your breathing.
• Do not harvest or eat molluscan shellfish and distressed or dead fish from this location. If fish are healthy, rinse fillets with tap or bottled water and throw out the guts.
• Keep pets and livestock away from water, seafoam and dead sea life.
• Residents living in beach areas are advised to close windows and run the air conditioner (making sure that the A/C filter is maintained according to manufacturer’s specifications).
• If outdoors, residents may choose to wear paper filter masks, especially if onshore winds are blowing.

Florida Poison Control Centers have a toll-free 24/7 Hotline for reporting illnesses, including health effects from exposure to red tide at 1-888-232-8635.

Visit the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research website for additional information on the locations where red tide has been found: myfwc.com/research/redtide/statewide/.