Heading to the beach this weekend? You’ll likely be dealing with red tide symptoms

More locations are showing stronger concentrations of red tide in Manatee County waters, according to a weekly update from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Officials said the number of local water samples containing medium or high traces of the Karenia brevis red tide algae increased by more than 25 percent. Of the 12 samples taken this week, nine came back showing medium concentrations of between 100,000 and 1,000,000 cells per liter. None of the samples indicated high concentrations.

Cortez Beach, Palma Sola Bay Bridge and the Rod & Reel Pier were some of the areas tested with medium concentrations. According to the FWC, respiratory irritation and fish kills are possible effects of medium K. brevis levels. Fish kills and respiratory irritation were reported in Manatee, officials said.

The update comes just a day after Charlie Hunsicker, Manatee County’s director of parks and natural resources, addressed the state of wildlife in Manatee after months of dealing with red tide. He described the county’s offshore reefs as “a desert.”

In Sarasota County, scientists said red tide levels were between 5 and 25 percent lower than last week, but dead fish and respiratory issues were still reported.

For more information, call 866-300-9399 anytime from anywhere in Florida to get the latest red tide status report. Call 727-552-2448 from outside Florida.

This story was originally published November 16, 2018 at 5:01 PM.