Toxic algae hospitalized at least 15 people in Florida

The worst red tide in more than a decade has left Florida’s southwestern shoreline littered with dead fish and sea turtles, but now humans are getting sick too.

Exposure to algae sent at least 15 people to the hospital last week for symptoms related to contact with toxic algae, but the number of people who have actually gotten sick could be higher, TCPalm reported.

An algae bloom, known as the red tide, has wreaked havoc on coastal wildlife. Red tide season typically lasts from October to around February, but this red tide has persisted along the coast for 10 months. Some rivers and lakes in Florida are also seeing a rise in harmful algae, forcing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to release water from Lake Okeechobee to keep lake levels down, Sun Sentinel reported.