May 27, 2021
As summer approaches, and more communities and recreational areas around the state begin reopening amid the COVID-19 outbreak, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) reminds people heading outdoors to be on the look-out for cyanobacteria blooms that can produce toxins when recreating in Oregon lakes, rivers and reservoirs.
Cyanobacteria are beneficial bacteria found in all freshwater, worldwide. Under the right conditions when weather, sunlight, water temperature, nutrients and water chemistry are ideal cyanobacteria can multiply into blooms in any water body. Many blooms are harmless, but some can produce cyanotoxins that make people and animals sick.
Exposure to cyanotoxins occurs when water is swallowed while swimming, or when water droplets are inhaled during high-speed activities such as water-skiing or wakeboarding. Symptoms of exposure to cyanotoxins include diarrhea, cramps, vomiting, numbness, dizziness and fainting. Although cyanotoxins are not absorbed through the s