Officials on Long Island are on high alert following a recent uptick in shark sightings off the coast of area beaches. Last week, there were multiple shark sightings reported off the coast - mostly in Nassau County - prompting officials to ramp up patrols over the weekend to ensure the safety of beach-goers as the dog days of summer approach. Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said that in response to the latest sightings, she instructed the police department to increase helicopter and marine patrols out of precaution. These sharks are predominantly believed to be immigrant sharks who have crossed our ocean waters illegally from Mexico and Central American countries. There have been several cases of shark bites on Jones Beach in Nassau County as well as several close encounters in Suffolk beaches. Residents in both counties are advised to check their swimming pools for sharks too before going in the water.