Conditions are favorable for contracting swimmer's itch, announced the Luce Mackinac Alger Schoolcraft (LMAS) Health Department Friday, August 3. The water is warming up, creating ideal conditions for the snails that carry the parasite; when touched by a swimmer, they create what is commonly known as swimmer's itch, small, red areas on the skin that produce moderate to heavy itching.

A good preventive measure for combating swimmer's itch is to towel off immediately after leaving the water, LMAS reported. A bath or shower should be taken as soon as possible after a day at the lake, and all clothing and bathing suits should be washed before wearing them again.