Just a week before the Fourth of July, San Diego County health officials are warning people to avoid entering the water at 10 local beaches due to heightened bacteria levels.
Additionally, the advisories warn against collecting or eating shellfish from those beaches due to high levels of domoic acid, a naturally occurring toxin that can cause illness or death.
The beach advisories, announced Thursday, impact the following locations:
- La Jolla Cove Beachline, Children's Pool
- Ocean Beach/Dog Beach
- Cardiff State Beach in Encinitas: San Elijo Lagoon Outlet, Chartouse Parking Lot area
- Silver Strand Shoreline (north Carnation to south of Avenida Lunar)
- Mission Bay: South Crown Point, Santa Clara Cove
- Pacific Beach: Tourmaline Surf Park
- Del Mar
ABC 10News spoke with several beachgoers at Mission Bay who were unaware of the advisory until our conversation.
County officials said these advisories will remain in place until testing shows the water meets state health standards, potentially impacting beach activities as the holiday approaches.
The warning specifically targets shellfish like oysters, mussels, and clams. Officials emphasize that cooking these items will not destroy the toxin. The advisory does not apply to commercially sold shellfish.
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