Beach scare eases, but stay alert

Health authorities say people still need to keep a close eye on what pets and children are playing with on beaches. Photo / Dean Purcell

Health authorities have lifted their ban on Hauraki Gulf beaches but warn that caregivers still need to keep a close eye on what children and pets are playing with in coastal areas.

The Auckland Regional Public Health Service yesterday lifted its warnings to stay off the beaches that have been no-go areas since dogs and marine life were found dead at Narrow Neck and Cheltenham on Auckland's North Shore.

About 15 dogs became sick with suspected tetrodotoxin (ttx) poisoning and five of them died.

The dogs had eaten sea slugs that were infected with ttx, a potent poison usually found in tropical puffer fish that can kill humans with just a small dose.

Medical officer of health Cathy Pikholz said children were most likely to eat things they found at beaches so they should be closely supervised even though the ban had been lifted.

"They are the ones most likely to eat things," Dr Pikholz said.

"Sea slugs should not even be touched, as even the outside of them can be toxic."

Dr Pikholz said parents needed to be aware of where their children were swimming or playing and what they were handling.

Any sea life, dead or alive, should be avoided and medical attention should be sought immediately if anyone became seriously unwell after going to the beach.

A lot of uncertainty still surrounded how the slugs became infected with ttx and whether it was a one-off event, Dr Pikholz said.

"We know that the toxins were found at Narrow Neck Beach and Cheltenham for the first time but we don't know if it's a recent thing or not," she said.

The medical officer said the phenomenon was a natural event so it was difficult to know if it would happen again or when.

www.arphs.govt.nz