Health department says red tide in Gulf near Boca Grande

Florida Department of Health in Lee County (DOH-Lee) issued an advisory for a red tide bloom near Boca Grande Friday.

According to DOH-Lee, some people might have mild and short-lived respiratory symptoms such as eye, nose and throat irritation similar to cold symptoms due to red tide present in the water. Some individuals with breathing problems such as asthma might experience more severe symptoms.

Usually symptoms go away when a person leaves the area or goes indoors. Health officials recommend people experiencing these symptoms stay away from beach areas or go into an air conditioned space. If symptoms do not subside, it’s recommended you contact your health care provider for evaluation.

DOH-Lee tips

• 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

DOH-Lee warns the public: Do not harvest or eat molluscan shellfish and distressed or dead fish from the affected area at this time. If fish are healthy, rinse fillets with tap or bottled water and throw out the guts.

Also, keep pets and livestock away from water, sea foam and dead sea life.

Anyone 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 can 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 of illnesses, including health effects from exposure to red tide at 1-800-222-1222.

Additional information on locations where red tide has been found is available on the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research website.