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The Health Ministry of Armenia has warned people against swimming in some beaches of Armenia’s Lake Sevan amid the potential threat posed by the blue-green algae bloom.

In a statement on Friday, the ministry says the blue-green algae, also called cyanobacter, can be found worldwide, especially in static, nutrient-rich waters. Some of them emit toxins which can have severe impacts on human health in the event of swimming in affected water or accidentally sollowing it.

The ministry warns symptoms from swallowing or swimming in algae-affected water can include: asthma, eye irritation, rash, especially in mouth and nose, skin irritation, allergic reaction, nausea, stomach cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, liver problems, to name a few.

Health officials urge vacationers to refrain from swimming in beaches affected by blue-green algae, to ban children from swimming in such areas and to immediately seek medical care in case the mentioned symptoms emerge.

Social media users and environmentalists have been sounding the alarm since late June after the detection of blue-green algae, which has turned the waterway a soupy pea-green colour.