Copyright 1998 Wellington Newspapers Limited
The Evening Post (Wellington)
April 14, 1998
SECTION: NEWS; NATIONAL; Pg. 9
LENGTH: 141 words
HEADLINE: Tests show no sign of harbour bloom
BODY:
A toxic algal bloom which devastated Wellington Harbour's sea
life and made more than 80 swimmers ill, appears to have vanished.
Wellington region Medical Officer of Health Stephen Palmer
said tests conducted over the past two weekends showed no sign
of the algae.
As well, no swimmers had reported suffering irritated eyes,
throat or nose, thought to be the affect of the algae, since March
27.
He said it appeared that stormy weather in late March broke
up the algae.
Afterwards there was a lot of white froth on the sea, believed
to be the dead algae, but there were no reports of it affecting
swimmers.
Dr Palmer said the results of tests conducted over Easter weekend
would be available later in the week and were expected to be clear.
Testing will continue weekly as part of the national biotoxins
monitoring programme.
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
LOAD-DATE: April 15, 1998