Let’s face it.
Nobody wants to be sick during the summer, especially if you’ve planned a staycation of boating, floating, or even fishing at one of the many local lakes near Prince George and across the region.
Northern Health is reminding everyone residents of potential blue-green algae naturally forming in nearby lakes, due to the warming weather of summer, and the nasty symptoms you can experience if you come into contact with it.
The bacteria blooms into a scum-like grass or fuzz appearing on the water’s surface, can often smell musty, and can become either blue-green, greenish-brown, brown, or pinkish-red.
The following symptoms can come into effect within one to three hours of first contact:
- Skin irritation and rashes
- Sore throat
- Sore red eyes
- Swollen lips
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhea
If you touch blue-green algae, the Authority advises you to wash with tap water as soon as possible.
They also ask everyone, regardless if you live on a lake year-round, part-time, or are visiting the northern region, to not swim, wade in, or drink the water where the bacteria is visible; boiling the water will not remove any toxins produced by blue-green algae.
The same advice applies to pets, but most symptoms are reported among children according to Northern Health.
More information about blue-green algae is available on HealthLinkBC’s website.
