Health Alert Issued For Tampa Bay Waters This Weekend

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL — A red tide alert for Tampa Bay has been issued by the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County as of Friday, June 25.

The following beaches, Picnic Island and Davis Islands, are experiencing red tide blooms that makes it unsafe causing possible respiratory issues for beachgoers. Health officials said some people may experience mild and short-lived respiratory symptoms such as eye, nose and throat irritation, which can resemble cold symptoms. The health department warns that people who live with asthma and other diagnosed breathing problems could experience more severe symptoms.

This map, provided by the Florida Health Department, provides the last eight days of sampling.

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

DOH-Hillsborough 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 from this location.
• Do not harvest or eat distressed or dead fish from this location.
• Rinse fillets from healthy fish with tap or bottled water. Throw out guts.
• Keep pets and livestock away from water, sea foam and dead sea life.

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.

Visit the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research website for information on the locations where red tide has been found.

For additional information about red tide and the current red tide bloom, including information on how to report a fish kill or other wildlife effects, consult health authorities about human exposure, or locate other resources, visit the Red Tide-Related Hotlines and Information Sources article.