01:00 Red Tide Algae Bloom Kills Hundreds of Sea Creatures off Coast of Florida Meteorologist Danielle Banks looks at the red tide algae bloom dangers in Florida.

At a Glance Water samples collected on the St. Lucie River contain high levels of microcystin, a toxin that can make people sick.

If ingested, water contaminated with the toxin can cause nausea, vomiting and, in severe cases, acute liver failure.

Coming in direct contact with the algae can result in a rash.

A blue-green, cyanobacteria bloom in southeast Florida's St. Lucie River is 10 times too toxic to touch, recent testing shows.

Water samples collected Aug. 2 on the river's north shore by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection contained the toxin microcystin at a rate of 110 parts per billion. The World Health Organization says levels above 10 parts per billion are hazardous for humans in recreational waters.

Another sample collected July 5 at the St. Lucie Lock and Dam, where waters from Lake Okeechobee are discharged into the St. Lucie River, had an even higher level of 154.38 parts per billion.

Between July 24 and Aug. 6, at least 86 people sought treated in area hospitals and clinics after coming into contact with water contaminated with the algae , TC Palm reports.

"It's just two weeks of data," Dr. Michael Romano, Martin Health System's head of infectious diseases and control, told the newspaper. "But it's starting to show that the algae blooms are a health hazard, and people are getting sick because of that hazard."

While high, the levels don't rival the amount of microcystin detected in the river in 2016, when water samples collected in Central Marine contained microcystin at a rate of 33,000 parts per billion.

<img class="styles__noscript__2rw2y" src="https://dsx.weather.com/util/image/w/screen_shot_2018-08-10_at_10.49.19_am.jpg?v=at&w=485&h=273&api=7db9fe61-7414-47b5-9871-e17d87b8b6a0" srcset="https://dsx.weather.com/util/image/w/screen_shot_2018-08-10_at_10.49.19_am.jpg?v=at&w=485&h=273&api=7db9fe61-7414-47b5-9871-e17d87b8b6a0 400w, https://dsx.weather.com/util/image/w/screen_shot_2018-08-10_at_10.49.19_am.jpg?v=ap&w=980&h=551&api=7db9fe61-7414-47b5-9871-e17d87b8b6a0 800w" > Cites reporting blue-green algae in Florida, as of Aug. 10, 2018. (Florida Department of Environmental Protection) (Florida Department of Environmental Protection) Blue-green algae blooms are occurring in waterways throughout the state , according to Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Rivers in which water is being discharged from Lake Okeechobee are particularly vulnerable to the algae.

(WATCH: The Untold Story of Lake Okeechobee )

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Florida peninsula, the worst red tide in decades has left droves of dead animals on Gulf beaches near Fort Myers.

According to the Aug. 8 FWC red tide status report , low to high concentrations of Karenia brevis, the formal name for red tides, were reported in waters off Lee, Charlotte, Manatee, Sarasota and Collier counties. Low concentrations were also found in waters off Pinellas County.

In July, Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency for Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Glades, Hendry, Lee and Okeechobee counties because of the blooms.

Difference Between Red Tides and Blue-Green Algae

Although often mistakenly used interchangeably, red tides and blue-green algae blooms are very different.

Red tides are naturally occurring algae blooms caused by Karenia brevis that form in marine water. Blue-green algae blooms are caused by cyanobacteria and form in fresh water.

According to the FWC, blue-green algae blooms originate from runoff containing human waste and fertilizers from nearby farms and neighborhoods. Nitrogen and phosphorus, as well as other nutrients in the polluted runoff, can act like fertilizer for the algae, creating large and long-lasting blooms.

Red tides, on the other hand, occur naturally and typically develop 10 to 40 miles offshore in Florida. The Marine Laboratory and Aquarium notes that there is no direct link between nutrient pollution and the frequency or severity of red tides in Florida. However, when red tides move closer to shore, they are capable of using man-made nutrients from runoff for their growth.

If ingested, water contaminated with toxins found in both red tides and blue-green algae can cause nausea, vomiting and, in severe cases, acute liver failure, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says.

The Centers for Disease Control notes that coming in direct contact with the algae can result in a rash. Some research indicates a link between long-term inhalation of toxic algae fumes and neurological disorders like Parkinson’s and Lou Gehrig’s diseases.