Toxic algae bloom prompts warning and beach closures at Minnesota lake
The National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science released an alert warning of a cyanobacteria bloom in western Lake Erie that spans around 160 miles. Those swimming in the lake from Maumee Bay north, Monroe, Port Clinton, into the western basin on West Sister Island, and Sandusky Bay have been warned of toxins exceeding the recreational limit. The cyanobacteria bloom has created scums and discolored green water that can be dangerous for swimming.
'Toxins have been detected below the recreational limit in western Lake Erie. They can be highly concentrated in scums! If you see scum, keep your pets and yourself out of the water,' the alert read.
The NCCOS uses satellite imagery and forecasting technology to determine the status of the bloom. Field samples also show the depth and level of toxicity in the water. Satellite images taken on Tuesday revealed that the western part of Lake Erie was highlighted in green and blue, meaning high amounts of cyanobacteria were present.
The NCCOS added that high winds can underestimate the full area impacted. Winds can mix the bloom, and clouds can obscure the satellite reading.
Cyanobacteria are a type of HAB (Harmful Algal Blooms) and can cause harm to the environment and humans. Cyanobacteria can also produce a byproduct called cyanotoxins, which can cause diarrhea, headaches, skin irritation, and even death, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
The bloom occurs when the water gets warmer, making July to October the peak season for Lake Erie. The NCCOS released a seasonal forecast for HABs in Lake Erie in June, predicting the severity would be a three with a potential range of two to four out of ten. Scientists expected a predicted bloom severity of mild to moderate, noting the bacteria would concentrate in July, peak in August, and continue until September.
Gregory J Dick, a professor of Biology at the University of Michigan, wrote in The Conversation that climate change has increased cyanobacteria growth. Cyanobacteria grow in warmer climates, meaning that temperature increases exacerbate growth. He added that cyanobacteria can be lethal to pets, and new science suggests that long-term exposure for humans may even exacerbate respiratory, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal problems.
These health issues have even been linked to liver cancers, kidney disease, and neurological problems. In 2014, a cyanobacteria bloom contaminated Lake Erie, which made its way into the water supply. Over 450,000 residents in Toledo were issued an advisory not to drink the water and were forced to purchase bottled water for over two days.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
24 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Police officer killed in firefight with CDC gunman was dad of two with a third on the way
A police officer slain by a gunman targeting the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta Friday was expecting his third child. David Rose, 33, leaves behind two children and a pregnant wife and had only joined the Dekalb County Police Department in September. Rose succumbed to his injuries in hospital after being shot during a firefight with the gunman, who was firing wildly at CDC buildings near Emory University. Heavy police response: Officers set up a blockade of a road near the CDC, where several buildings took fire 'This evening, there is a wife without a husband. There are three children, one unborn, without a father,' DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson said during a press conference. 'There is a mother and a father, as well as siblings who also share in this traumatic loss. Let's join together to give this family the support it needs.' The officer was suffering from critical injuries when he was located at the scene as gunfire erupted from the CVS located at Emory Point, a mixed-used development across the street from the CDC headquarters. The shooter was located on the floor above the CVS and died during a firefight with police. It wasn't immediately clear if his injuries were from officers or if they were self-inflicted. He was identified Saturday by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) as 30-year-old Patrick Joseph White from Kennesaw, Georgia. 'There is extensive evidence to collect due to the complex scene,' a statement from the bureau noted. 'Numerous interviews are being conducted. This investigation will take an extended period of time.' CNN reported that the shooter's family members spoke to law enforcement and told them that he blamed his recent illness on the Covid-19 vaccine, which was pushed by the CDC. CDC Director Susan Monarez, FBI Director Kash Patel, and Georgia Governor Brian Kemp recognized Rose's death as a brave sacrifice. In a statement, Dekalb County said that Rose was a former Marine who served in Afghanistan. Police said he graduated from the police academy in March and 'quickly earned the respect of his colleagues for his dedication, courage and professionalism.' 'This evening, there is a wife without a husband. There are three children, one unborn, without a father,' DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson said. The shooter is believed to have been targeting the CDC, not nearby Emory University. Emory University students began hearing gunshots late Friday afternoon. Eventually, the university sent out a desperate alert at around 4:50pm pleading with students to 'RUN. HIDE. FIGHT.' A little over two hours after the alert was sent out, Atlanta Police confirmed the shooter was dead. 'There is no ongoing threat to the Emory Campus or the surrounding neighborhood. The incident involved a single shooter, who is now deceased,' Atlanta Police said in a statement. No civilians were shot throughout the course of the attack, said Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens. The shooting ended at the CVS, but bullets from the shooter's gun hit at least four buildings that are part of the CDC's headquarters. A photo shared to social media showed at least two bullet holes in two separate windows. A CDC employee told CNN that he saw a man approach the steps in front of the building, pull out a rifle and open fire. Law enforcement officials said the shooter had four different weapons — two hand guns, one rifle and one shotgun — and was wearing what looked to be a surgical mask. The CDC ultimately wasn't breached. At around 10pm ET, the CDC gave its employees the all-clear order via text message. 'Local law enforcement continues to clear Roybal Campus buildings but has determined that there is no longer a threat to CDC staff,' the text message read. Roughly 92 children were at the employee daycare at the CDC campus, which had parents panicking since they weren't allowed to immediately go pick them up because of shelter-in-place orders. When the all-clear order was given roughly five hours after the shooting began, that's when the children were finally reunited with their parents.
The Guardian
3 hours ago
- The Guardian
I'm 15 and in love, but I have to walk on eggshells with my boyfriend
I'm 15, and in a six-month relationship with my boyfriend who has a very toxic home life. This has given him significant mental health issues. He gets upset by little things, and struggles to move on, catastrophising small disagreements, thinking I hate him and saying he'll self-harm. He has a really strong sense of self: he hates people being better than him at anything he cares about, and is obsessed with looks. The real issue for me is that I often feel I'm walking on eggshells: I can't tell him about achievements or he'll get upset; I soften any viewpoint I'm worried he won't like; I can't tell him he upset me without him getting extremely defensive. I do not want to lose him. He's really thoughtful, caring, beautiful and profound. He always checks for consent before doing anything sexual (nothing much as we're both underage); he cares for me if I'm upset, gives me advice, makes me feel confident in myself and happy. But I'm worried about the coming weeks, as I'm going on holiday and I know I'll have to reassure him I love him every two days, feeling guilty for just having a nice time. I feel so strongly in love, and don't want to break up with him. I'd really like some strategies to help him feel better, be less sensitive, and avoid triggers without it being exhausting. It's never too early or late in life to start asking the right questions and here, as my specialist this week, the UKCP-registered child and adolescent psychotherapist Sara Anton says, the questions you might want to ask are: 'What does a healthy relationship looks like? Is this a healthy relationship, and if not why not? If you are looking after your boyfriend's needs all the time, how can you take care of your needs? And how does it feel to do so much caretaking at this point in your life?' You sound incredibly mature, astute and sensitive, but the flipside is that you will attract people who look to you to fulfil things lacking in themselves. It's also never too early or late to learn about boundaries. I hear that you are really in love; as Anton points out: 'At 15 it's really usual – and developmentally appropriate [as we have to learn to separate from our parents] – to have these intense relationships.' But, and it is a significant but, this relationship raises concerns for us. No relationship should mean you are radically changing your behaviour – as you are – to appease someone else. I'm sorry for your boyfriend's home life, the details of which you asked me to withhold, but you are not responsible for his happiness or anyone else's. 'At this age,' says Anton, 'you are starting to find out who you are, what you like and don't like, how to be with others, what your boundaries are, and how to take care of your own emotions. From what you say, this relationship is more intense than is healthy and it's taking a toll on you. It will be hard to build a sense of who you are as a young person when you are so entwined.' Sign up to Inside Saturday The only way to get a look behind the scenes of the Saturday magazine. Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns, delivered to your inbox every weekend. after newsletter promotion Aspects of your relationship sound coercive. I'm sure you've covered this in PSHE lessons, but it can be hard to see when this is happening to us. Not being able to share or having to water down good news for fear of him not liking it, him threatening to self-harm, feeling like you're constantly treading on eggshells: these are not what a healthy relationship is based on. Your boyfriend doesn't sound like he has a strong sense of self, quite the opposite; it sounds like he's outsourcing his self-esteem to you. This is not something you can delegate. I would really urge you to talk to an adult you trust. You've taken a really big step towards this by writing to me. If you are constantly keeping the peace with your boyfriend, you will get no peace yourself. You can't fix him, or anyone else. That's not your job. Your job is to look after yourself first and foremost. That's not selfish but self-aware and self-protective, and that lesson can never be learned too young. Every week, Annalisa Barbieri addresses a personal problem sent in by a reader. If you would like advice from Annalisa, please send your problem to Annalisa regrets she cannot enter into personal correspondence. Submissions are subject to our terms and conditions. The latest series of Annalisa's podcast is available here. Comments on this piece are pre-moderated to ensure the discussion remains on the topics raised by the article. Please be aware that there may be a short delay in comments appearing on the site.
Sky News
4 hours ago
- Sky News
Man who killed police officer 'blamed COVID jab for making him depressed and suicidal'
A man who opened fire on the headquarters of America's national public health agency - leaving a police officer dead - had blamed the COVID vaccine for making him depressed and suicidal. Patrick Joseph White, a 30-year-old from Georgia, had tried to enter the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters in Atlanta but was stopped by guards, a law enforcement official said. They added that White then drove to a pharmacy across the street before opening fire late on Friday afternoon. He was armed with five guns - including at least one long gun. DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose, who had three children, was shot dead while responding to the incident. White also died, but authorities haven't said whether he was killed by police or if he killed himself. His father had contacted police and identified his son as the possible gunman. White's father also said his son had been upset over the death of his dog and had become fixated on the COVID-19 vaccine. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr, whose scepticism of vaccines has been a cornerstone of his career, voiced support for CDC employees yesterday. But some laid-off CDC employees said Mr Kennedy shares responsibility for the violence and should resign. Mr Kennedy has a history as a leader in the anti-vaccine movement, but he reached new prominence by spreading distrust of COVID-19 vaccines. For example, he called it "criminal medical malpractice" to give these jabs to children. He said after the shooting: "We are deeply saddened by the tragic shooting at CDC's Atlanta campus that took the life of officer David Rose. "We know how shaken our public health colleagues feel today. No one should face violence while working to protect the health of others." Sarah Boim, a former CDC communications staffer who was fired this year during a wave of terminations, said the shooting was the "physical embodiment of the narrative that has taken over, attacking science, and attacking our federal workers". White's 'distrust of COVID vaccines' A neighbour of White told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the gunman spoke with her multiple times about his distrust of COVID-19 jabs. Nancy Hoalst, who lives on the same street as White's family, said he seemed like a "good guy" but he would bring up vaccines even in unrelated conversations. "He was very unsettled, and he very deeply believed that vaccines hurt him and were hurting other people." Ms Hoalst told the Atlanta newspaper. "He emphatically believed that."
