More than two hundred people who had gone to different and remote beaches in Pernambuco and Alagoas, two states in northeastern Brazil, since last Tuesday were poisoned by algae and required medical and hospital care. According to authorities in both states, they were victims of a phenomenon known as “Red Tide”, when large amounts of algae of this color concentrate in a certain area and release toxic gases.
On Tuesday, several dozen people were poisoned by the gases, which spread through the air and had a gas-like odor, and three of them required special care at a hospital in Maracaipe, a famous beach in the Ipojuca region in the south of the country. state of Pernambuco. This Wednesday and Thursday, another 200 people were also poisoned by algae, this time in the region of Barra de Santo Antonio, on the coast of the state of Alagoas.
In the latest case in Alagoas, the famous Carro Quebrado beach was closed by authorities, who blocked all access to the site to prevent further poisoning. Fishing is prohibited in the coastal region of Alagoas, as is the sale of fish and shellfish caught in recent days that are likely to be contaminated and could poison anyone who consumes them.
The gases emitted by these reddish algae affect both those who are in the water and consider seaweed to be common and harmless, as well as those who live in the sand. Even those far from the surf can be exposed to this gas, contained in particles carried by the wind or droplets from waves.
The main symptoms of poisoning are headache and sore throat, which can be severe, nausea, fever, intestinal discomfort, nasal congestion and eye irritation similar to conjunctivitis. According to experts interviewed on the issue, such “red tides” are rare but can occur anywhere along the coast, exacerbated by climate change, excess heat and human activity, which, by throwing all types of garbage into the sea, increases the number of microorganisms that turn into nutrients and increase the number of these algae.
Author: Domingos Grilo Serrinha This correspondent in Brazil
Source: CM Jornal
I am Michael Melvin, an experienced news writer with a passion for uncovering stories and bringing them to the public. I have been working in the news industry for over five years now, and my work has been published on multiple websites. As an author at 24 News Reporters, I cover world section of current events stories that are both informative and captivating to read.