Another lake in the Lakeland has fallen victim to Blue-Green Algae. Alberta Health Services is saying that Vincent Lake, located just north of St. Paul, has had a confirmed bloom. Last week AHS had announced that Stoney Lake had also been contaminated.
Blue-Green Algae naturally occurs in some bodies of water around the province. AHS says to follow a few rules when it comes to the blooms. Avoiding all contact with blooms is recommended. If contact occurs, wash with tap water as soon as possible. Do not swim or wade in any areas where blue-green algae are visible. Do not feed whole fish or fish trimmings from this lake to your pets.
Consider limiting human consumption of whole fish and fish trimmings from this lake, as it is known that fish may store toxins in their liver. (People can safely consume fish fillets from this lake).
People who come in contact with visible blue-green algae or who ingest water containing blue-green algae may experience skin irritation, rash, sore throat, sore red eyes, swollen lips, fever, nausea and vomiting and/or diarrhea. Symptoms usually appear within one to three hours and resolve in one to two days. Symptoms in children are often more pronounced; however, all humans are at risk of these symptoms.
AHS is reminding everyone that areas of Vincent Lake in which the blue-green algae bloom is NOT visible can still be used for recreational purposes, even while these blue-green algae Health Advisory is in place.
More information about Blue-Green Algae can be found by calling HealthLink by dialling 811.