Red tide bloom detected in the Florida Keys, according to the state Health Department

The state Department of Health said it detected the presence of a red tide bloom near an island in the Lower Florida Keys.

The department issued a “Health Caution” for Sawyer Key, an uninhabited island popular with weekend boating crowds located north of Cudjoe Channel — about 23 miles north of Key West.

The DOH said in a press release Tuesday that a Health Caution is issued when red tide, or Karenia brevis, is low — more than 10,000 cells per liter, but less than 100,000 cells per liter.

The red tide bloom that has resulted in fish kills in several Southwest Florida Gulf coast counties, by comparison, is more than 100,000 cells per liter, 89 of the 157 water samples taken by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission show.

The DOH said it has no timeline as to when the red tide near Sawyer Key could dissipate. As of Tuesday, it hasn’t been detected anywhere else in the Keys and “county public beaches remain free of Red Tide,” DOH spokespeople Jennifer Lefalar and Alison Kerr said in a statement.

The health department issued the following steps that should be taken if you are in an area where red tide has been detected:

▪ Stay away from the water and don’t swim near dead fish.

▪ Those with chronic respiratory problems should be extra cautious near the water because red tide can affect people’s breathing.

▪ Don’t eat shellfish or distressed or dead fish from the area. Fin fish caught live and healthy are safe to eat as long as they are filleted and the guts are discarded. The DOH recommends washing the fillets with bottled water.

▪ Wash your skin and clothing with soap and fresh water if you had recent contact with red tide.

▪ Keep pets and livestock away from the water, sea foam and dead sea life. If pets swim in these waters, wash them as soon as possible.

▪ Residents living in beach areas are advised to close windows and run the air conditioner.

Red tide is a type of microscopic algae found in the Gulf of Mexico, usually formed naturally offshore, and more often in the late summer or early fall. It’s carried to coastal waters by winds and currents. Blooms can last into the winter or spring, but sometimes endure more than a year, according to DOH.

Up-to-date information regarding Florida’s water quality status and public health notifications for harmful algal blooms and beach conditions can be found at ProtectingFloridaTogether.gov and floridahealth.gov/environmental-health/aquatic-toxins.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission collects and analyzes red tide samples. Results are updated multiple times a day and can be found at MyFWC.com/redtidemap/); status updates are issued twice weekly during blooms (Red Tide Current Status). To hear a recording about red tide conditions throughout the state, call the toll-free hotline at 866-300-9399.