Walton County showed low levels at Dune Allen Beach and very low levels with slight respiratory irritation at Grayton Beach and Miramar Beach. Very low readings translate into less than 10,000 cells per liter but will warrant shellfish harvesting bans because the mollusks filter water and the toxins collect inside. Another possible effect is respiratory irritation. Low readings are categorized as between 10,000 and 100,000 cells per liter and effects can include respiratory irritation and possible fish kills. A medium sample means between 100,000 and 1 million cells per liter were found.
Fish kills are probable with medium readings.
Boundaries of the red tide bloom as of Sept. 27 are St. Joe Bay to the east, while the western edge is the east end of Okaloosa Island. The western border of the bloom had been Destin on Sept. 19. The outbreak began in St. Joe Bay, southeast of Panama City, in late August. Okaloosa County Health Department spokesman Doug Sims said the reports of people experiencing discomfort at the beach have gone down. We didn't know what effect the storm would have, but evidently it broke the red tide up.