Alert issued for blue-green algae in 3 Orange County lakes

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Health officials have issued an alert for the presence of blue-green algae in three Orange County lakes.

The Florida Department of Health in Orange County issued health cautions on Thursday for Lake Pearl (southern shore), Lake Copeland (southeast corner), and Starke Lake (boat ramp).

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Officials said the public should exercise caution around those areas.

Residents and visitors are advised to take the following precautions:

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• You should not drink, swim, wade, use personal watercraft, water ski or boat in waters where there is a visible bloom.
• Avoid getting water in your eyes, nose, or mouth.
• You should keep pets and livestock away from the waters in this location.
• Eating fillets from healthy fish caught in freshwater lakes experiencing blooms is safe. Rinse fish fillets with tap or bottled water, throw out the guts and cook fish well.
• You should not eat shellfish from this location.

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Scientists studying new treatments to combat harmful algae blooms in Florida waterways (WFTV)

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