Alberta Health Services is warning the public that blue-green algae was found Tuesday at Ma-Me-O Beach on the south side of Pigeon Lake and people should avoid contact with water.
On Friday, a warning was issued for Silver Beach on the eastern shore of Pigeon Lake and on Thursday for Wizard Lake and Pigeon Lake. Those warnings continues.
Blue-green algae produces a poison that can cause serious illness to animals and humans who drink or have skin contact with water containing the toxin.
In some instances, domestic animals like dogs and cattle have died after ingesting toxin produced by blue-green algae. There are no records of human deaths.
People and pets should not swim, wade in the water and should avoid contact with dried blue-green algae on the shoreline. People should not consume any fish from water where blue-algae is present.
Symptoms of blue-green algae poisoning in humans may include fever, headache, dizziness, stomach cramp, vomiting, diarrhea, skin and eye irritation, sore throat and swollen lips. Symptoms seldom persist for more than two or three days.
Most blue-green algae blooms are short-lived and water bodies usually return to a safe state within days of the bloom.