The following is a media release from Toi Te Ora Public Health Service regarding conditions at Sullivan Lake.
A health warning has been issued for Sullivan Lake in Whakatāne. Routine water test results have found blooms of blue-green algae, which can be toxic.
“The health warning means that people should avoid contact with the lake water,” says Dr Neil de Wet, Medical Officer of Health. “Care should also be taken to ensure children and pets avoid contact with any scum collections on the shores of the lake.”
Contact with algal blooms can trigger asthma and hayfever attacks in some individuals, as well as causing skin rashes, tummy upsets, and even neurological symptoms such as tingling around the mouth, headaches, breathing difficulties and visual problems.
Regular sampling of the lake water will continue, and any changes in advice will be communicated accordingly. The public can obtain up-to-date information on this health warning and others through these channels:
- Phone: 0800 221 555, option 1
- Website: www.ttophs.govt.nz/health_warnings
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/ttophs
- Email alerts for subscribers: www.ttophs.govt.nz/alert