The Florida Department of Health in Martin County on Friday issued a health alert for the presence of harmful blue-green algae toxins for portions of Lake Okeechobee and the C44 Canal.The department of health urges the public to use caution in and around Lake Okeechobee. Some of those cautions include:• Do not drink, swim, wade, use personal watercrafts, or come into contact with waters where there is a visible bloom. • Wash your skin and clothing with soap and water if you have any contact with algae, or discolored or water that smells unpleasant. • Keep pets and livestock away from the area to avoid any contact with water. Waters where algae blooms are present are not safe for animals. Pets and livestock should use an alternative source of water when algae blooms are present. • Do not cook or clean dishes with water contaminated by algae blooms. Boiling the water will not eliminate toxins. • Eating fillets from healthy fish caught in freshwater lakes experiencing blooms is safe. Rinse fish fillets with tap or bottled water, throw out the guts, and cook fish thoroughly. • Do not eat shellfish in waters with algae blooms.The department of health said water samples were taken May 13 – 21.Top headlines:Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25 Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.