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Maine-et-Loire is the department the most affected but alerts were also in place along the Loire from Loire-Atlantique to Cher in central France.

Prefects have banned certain water activities such as swimming or fishing and people have been advised to avoid objects that have been in the water.

Anyone who has been in contact with river water should watch for symptoms such as skin irritation, nose, throat or eye problems, stomach ache, diahorrea, nausea or vomiting.

Eight dogs died near Angers and the prefecture said two types of algae, oscillatoria and formidium, that grew on river bottom pebbles had a particularly serious toxin that quickly paralysed respiratory muscles.

Bans have been put in place in other areas for similar reasons with fishing banned in two Lot lakes and swimming banned on lakes from Marne, to Rennes and to Gironde.