The beaches of the Basque coast closed since Sunday due to the presence of a microalgae, reopened this Monday afternoon, announces the town hall of Biarritz (Pyrénées-Atlantiques), which had closed all its beaches, as well as the municipalities of Bidart and Saint-Jean-de-Luz. The ARS (Regional Health Agency) of Nouvelle-Aquitaine gave the green light after receiving the analysis of tests, but will continue its monitoring of bathing water.
During a meeting between the authorities which was held in the morning, it was confirmed that the microalga in question would indeed be theOstreopsis, but not necessarily theOstreopsis ovata observed in the Mediterranean for ten years. It could indeed be theOstreopsis siamensis, i.e. a different subfamily, but the genus has not yet been identified. It is mainly concentrated from the north of Saint-Jean-De-Luz to the south of Biarritz. Anglet, for example, is currently spared.
Surveillance of hospitals and city medicine
Contacted by 20 minutes, Jean-Philippe Oustalet, responsible for the environmental brigades in the town of Biarritz, explains that “according to the ARS this algae would in any case be less toxic than that found in the Mediterranean. “” We reopened our beaches at 1:30 pm, he continues, and after taking stock at 3:30 pm with the six lifeguard stations, we have not yet received any swimmers complaining of symptoms. But we remain vigilant and we will not hesitate to close at the slightest alert. “
Monitoring of hospitals and city medicine is also in place, “this micro algae can cause mild symptoms such as redness or flu-like symptoms”, warns the municipality of Biarritz. City councilor and doctor Guillaume Barucq confirms, describing symptoms “that can mimic those of a mild Covid. “
Already observed in Hendaye
More than the number of people potentially infected by the toxin of this algae, the municipality of Biarritz was especially alerted by “the visual state of bathing water. “” We saw layers of algae arriving on the bathing areas [ce week-end], we therefore preferred to close our beaches preventively ”explains Jean-Philippe Oustalet. “If you see suspicious algae (beige foam on the surface), notify the nearest first-aid station” added the municipality of Biarritz in a press release on Monday.
If it had already been observed in September 2020 in Hendaye, it had never yet been seen in Biarritz. It remains to be seen how this algae, usually present in warm tropical waters, is now found along the Basque coast. “We are talking about global warming, it is indeed a track but that remains to be confirmed” cautiously advances the head of the environmental brigades.