ALERT: More Water Bodies Around Closed by DOH Due to Blue-Green Algae

GoLocalProv News Team

ALERT: More Water Bodies Around Closed by DOH Due to Blue-Green Algae

PHOTO: ASPCA
The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) is warning people to avoid contact with Coventry’s Carbuncle Pond due to blue-green algae.

This advisory follows previous advisories for other bodies of water across the state, as GoLocalProv reported.

The bodies of water currently under advisory are:

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  • Almy Pond in Newport
  • Sisson Pond in Portsmouth
  • JL Curran Reservoir in Cranston
  • Mashapaug Pond in Providence
  • Melville Ponds in Portsmouth
  • Polo Lake in Roger Williams Park in Providence
  • Japanese Gardens in Roger Williams Park in Providence
  • Pleasure Lake in Roger Williams Park in Providence
  • Roosevelt Lake in Roger Williams Park in Providence
  • Elm Lake in Roger Williams Park in Providence

 

Blue-Green Algae

According to the Department of Health, blue-green algae can produce toxins, including microcystins, that can harm humans and animals.

Contact with water containing blue-green algae commonly causes irritation of the skin, nose, eyes, and/or throat.

Common health effects associated with ingesting water containing algal toxins include stomach ache, diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea. Rarer health effects include dizziness, headache, fever, liver damage, and nervous system damage. Young children and pets are at a particular risk for health effects associated with algal toxins.

People who have had contact with these ponds and experience those symptoms should contact their healthcare provider.

If residents come into contact with the water, they should rinse skin with clean water as soon as possible and take a shower and wash clothes when they get home.

Similarly, if a pet comes into contact with the water, immediately wash it with clean water. Do not let the animal lick algae off its fur.

If a pet shows any symptoms of blue-green algae poisoning, including loss of energy, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, or any unexplained sickness that occurs within a day or so after being in contact with water, call a veterinarian.


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