Beach-goers warned of sea lice, jellyfish

The Taranaki Regional Council is urging beach-goers to be cautious of sea lice and jellyfish in the water.

Many Taranaki swimmers have reported being stung and bitten, leaving them with a painful skin rash or severe itching, with the culprits likely to be sea lice, jellyfish and other marine creatures too tiny to see.

Abby Matthews, the council’s director, environment quality, said sea lice and jellyfish were more prevalent and active in the summer months with the warmer temperatures.

‘‘Our region has some fantastic beaches and the awesome weather we’ve been having means they’ve been really busy with people cooling off and enjoying a swim.

‘‘While we’re not warning people to stay away, we’re reminding beach-goers that there are hazards to be aware of, including marine creatures that can bite or sting and that can result in a pretty painful rash that will put a dampener on your summer break or trip to the coast.’’

She urged people to act quickly if they had suffered a bite or been stung.

‘‘Reactions to stings and bites can vary with some people experiencing mild itching and rash, while others may develop intense itchy rashes or other symptoms such as pain, fever, nausea or diarrhoea.

‘‘In most cases, the rashes and itching should ease after a week.’’

Dr Jonathan Jarman, from the Taranaki Public Health Service, said there had been several reports of people with itchy rashes after swimming in the sea.

‘‘The best thing to do if you start to notice an itchy rash after swimming is to get out of your swimsuit as soon as you can and then have a shower, that way you’ll remove any . . . stinging cells that remain on the skin.

‘‘Togs will also need to be washed in hot soapy water and dried thoroughly to make sure all the stinging cells are removed or inactivated completely.’’

Jarman said if there were any further issues with reactions to stings, people should call Healthline.

The council doesn’t monitor for sea lice and jellyfish, however, it does collect weekly bacteria and toxic algae samples from beaches, rivers and lakes.

To check the water quality and get other information, go to the council’s Can I Swim Here? webpage.