OREGON, Ohio — The public should avoid all contact with water at Maumee Bay State Park due to cyanotoxin levels caused by the Lake Erie Algal Bloom, officials with the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department announced Wednesday.
Authorities have issued a Recreational Public Health Advisory, meaning the public is not permitted to swim at Lake Erie Beach at the park. Pets should also be kept away from the water, officials said in a social media post.
The advisory will remain in effect until cyanotoxin levels are below recreational thresholds.
WTOL 11 spotted multiple people in the water ignoring the advisory Wednesday afternoon. Toledo-Lucas County Health Department spokesperson Heather Burnette warned that subjecting yourself to continuous exposure is playing with fire.
"I would say the best thing they should do is once they have the information that they shouldn't be in the water, they should immediately come out of the water, go home, shower and immediately get it off of their skin as quickly as possible," Burnette said.
Exposure to algal bloom toxins can result in symptoms such as rash, blisters, wheezing, earaches, diarrhea, vomiting, eye irritation and headaches. Refer to the Ohio DNR Beach Guard to review water quality advisories before swimming or engaging in water recreation.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and National Weather Service, current levels of cyanotoxins in western Lake Erie are "high". This comes just over a month after the NOAA predicted the Lake Erie harmful algal bloom (HAB) would be smaller-than-average in 2023 compared to previous years, following a dry spring.
More recent estimates increased the range of the expected severity, following the bloom's establishment on July 4. Scientists also said the size of a HAB does not necessarily indicate a less toxic bloom.
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