UPDATE: No-swim advisory dropped for Longboat Key

UPDATE: The Florida Department of Health's Sarasota office has dropped a no-swim advisory posted earlier this week for Longboat Key, according to a release from the agency on Saturday.

Follow-up testing, though, indicates advisories posted for these locations will remain, based on the presence of still-unsatisfactory levels of enterococcus bacteria:

• Bird Key Park on the Ringling Causeway
• Turtle Beach on Siesta Key
• Nokomis Beach
• Manasota Key
• Blind Pass.

Additionally, advisories have been posted for:

• Venice Beach
• Venice Pier. 

Signs advising beachgoers to remain out of the Gulf of Mexico waters will be removed on Longboat Key and at Brohard and Caspersen beaches. Red tide advisory signs will remain countywide, though. 

Beaches remain open countywide. 

PREVIOUS STORY: A no-swim advisory was posted Thursday for Longboat Key, Turtle Beach and Bird Key Park following water sampling on Wednesday that indicated the presence of unsatisfactory levels of enterococcus bacteria.

A follow-up sampling of water is planned on Friday.

CHECK IT OUT: Red tide status map

The Florida Department of Health’s Sarasota office additionally posted similar no-swim advisories for Nokomis Beach, Brohard Beach, Caspersen Beach, Manasota Beach and Blind Pass.

Signage advising the public of red tide remains in place at county beaches as well. 

According to the Florida Department of Health, enterococci are bacteria that normally inhabit the intestinal tract of humans and animals. The presence of the bacteria can be an indication of fecal pollution, which may come from stormwater runoff, pets and wildlife, and/or human sewage. If they are present in high concentrations in recreational waters and are ingested while swimming or enter the skin through a cut or sore, they may cause human disease, infections or rashes.

A similar advisory was posted for Lido Beach last week, but was rescinded a day later when levels returned to safe limits.