Toledo, Ohio, hospitals are dealing with the high concentration of algae that has produced problematic levels of mycrocystin — a toxin that causes gastric distress and, in high enough quantities, liver damage, according to an article on the Becker's Hospital Review website.
Hospitals have backup water sources for navigating this and related water-compromising scenarios, but the emergency departments in the Toledo area have seen increased visits, possibly due to toxins.
ProMedica has seen increased visits at its Toledo, Flower and St. Luke's Hospitals, all in the Toledo area; Mercy Health System saw more ED patients at its St. Anne's and St. Charles Hospitals and St. Vincent Medical Center; and University of Toledo Medical Center also reported an increased number of water-related ED visits. In total, the hospitals saw more than 100 ED patients with potentially mycrocystin-related complaints on Aug. 2 alone.
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