Health warning issued for blue-green algae in Lake Okeechobee in Florida

The Florida Department of Health in Martin County issued a health alert Friday for the presence of harmful blue-green algae toxins for portions of Lake Okeechobee and the C44 Canal. The health department is urging the public to be cautious in and around Lake Okeechobee. Some of those warnings include: • Do not drink, swim, wade, use watercraft, or come into contact with waters where a visible algal bloom is present. • Wash your skin and clothing with soap and water if you have come into contact with algae or discolored or unpleasant-smelling water. • Keep pets and livestock away from the area to avoid any contact with water. Waters where algal blooms are present are not safe for animals. Pets and livestock should use an alternate water source during algal blooms. • Do not cook or rinse with water contaminated by algal blooms. Boiling water will not remove the toxins. • Eating fillets of healthy fish caught in freshwater lakes with algal blooms is safe. Rinse fish fillets with tap or bottled water, discard entrails, and cook fish thoroughly. • Do not eat shellfish in waters with algal blooms. The health department said water samples were taken from May 13 to May 21. Top Headlines: Stay up to date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25. Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.