This is your daily news rundown for Friday, July 31. In this edition:
- There's a harmful algal bloom in Utah Lake
- Prominent LDS author Carol Lynn Pearson died this week
- Utah health officials confirmed this year's second human case of West Nile virus
All of Utah Lake is under a harmful algal bloom advisory
There are harmful algal bloom advisories for every marina and beach at Utah Lake.
The Utah Division of Water Quality issued the lake-wide warning on Thursday.
It means visitors shouldn’t swim or water ski in any part of the lake. Pets should also be kept away from the water, as the toxins in harmful algal blooms are especially dangerous for them.
Boating and paddling are allowed, but shouldn’t be done in areas of algae. When fishing, make sure to clean fish well and discard the guts.
Carol Lynn Pearson, a prominent LDS author, died at 86
Carol Lynn Pearson, a prominent poet, author, and member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, died this week at age 86.
Pearson wrote and published over 40 books and plays in her lifetime. She had a focus on underrepresented voices within the church and supporting the LGBTQ community.
She also worked at Brigham Young University as an English professor and a screenwriter for the campus’ motion picture studio.
Pearson died of uterine cancer late Wednesday in a northern California hospital near her home.
Utah’s second human case of West Nile virus is confirmed in Salt Lake County
Salt Lake County health officials confirmed the state’s second human case of West Nile virus this year.
The first case was in the Bear River Health District in late June.
Last year, about 50 people were confirmed to contract the virus, but there were likely many more unreported. That’s because only one in five infected people will have symptoms, and most of those will be minor, flu-like symptoms.
In rare cases, West Nile virus can cause serious brain and spinal cord inflammation. Four Utahns died of the virus last year.
The Salt Lake County resident who most recently contracted the virus is expected to make a full recovery.
