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Toxic tropical algae proliferate in the Mediterranean, where sea temperatures reach 32°C.

Tropical algae Ostreopsis ovata is causing concern on the Italian coast: symptoms, affected regions, and its link to the warming of the Mediterranean.

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Toxic tropical algae proliferate in the Mediterranean, where sea temperatures reach 32°C.
Toxic tropical algae proliferate in the Mediterranean, where sea temperatures reach 32°C. Photo: reproduction / Corriere della Sera.

According to the newspaper Corriere della Sera, the tropical microalga Ostreopsis ovata has been detected in alert concentrations in Palermo, in the Vergine Maria area, and also in Aci Castello, in addition to reports in Puglia, Lazio, Liguria, and Tuscany. The algae can release aerosols containing toxins into the air, causing respiratory and eye irritation, fever, cough, sore throat, and headache. So far, none of the affected regions have banned swimming.

The phenomenon is linked to the warming of the Mediterranean, which has risen more than 1,20 degrees in 18 years. The surface temperature of the Italian sea oscillates between 30 and 32 degrees, similar to that of tropical regions. The European Copernicus service recorded a new global record for ocean temperature in July, surpassed on August 10, when it reached 21,05°C.

Read also Summer of 2026 could surpass Italy's 2003 heat record.

Read the original article in Italian at Corriere della Sera.

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