A public health warning over shellfish has been extended to Opito Bay on the Coromandel Peninsula.
Regular testing uncovered shellfish affected by paralytic shellfish toxin, which can cause numbness and tingling around the mouth, face or extremities of those who eat the shellfish as well as difficulty swallowing or breathing, dizziness, double-vision and in some cases paralysis and respiratory failure.
These symptoms usually occur within 12 hours of a person consuming affected shellfish. The warning includes mussels, pipi, tuatua, cockles, oysters, scallops, catseys and kina (sea urchin). Paua, crayfish and crabs can still be taken but as always, the gut should be removed before cooking.
Anyone suffering illness after eating shellfish should seek medical attention.
The health warning now includes the entire coastline from Opito Bay to Whakatane Heads including Whitianga Hahei, Hot Water Beach, Tairua, Pauanui, Whangamata, Opoutere, Waihi Beach and estuaries, Tauranga Harbour, Mount Maunganui, Papamoa and Maketu. Also included are Matakana and Motiti islands, and all other inshore islands along this coastline.