Lifeguard warns of deadly 'bluebottles', spotted off north Phuket beach

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Lifeguard warns of deadly 'bluebottles', spotted off north Phuket beach this morning
Tanyaluk Sakoot



PHUKET: -- The island's chief lifguard has issued a warning to all swimmers at Phuket beaches to beware of venemous jellyfish-like “bluebottles”, which were spotted off Naithon Beach this morning, today (June 14).

Despite its resemblance to a jellyfish, the bluebottle, also known as the Portuguese Men o’ War (Physalia physalis), or in Thai “Mang Ga-proon Fai Muak Portuget” (แมงกะพรุนไฟหมวกโปรตุเกส) is not a jellyfish, but a type of colonial organism known as a siphonophore.

Vitanya Chuayuan, head of Phuket Lifeguard Association confirmed that bluebottles have only been spotted at Naithon Beach thus far, in the water and on the sand, and not at any other beaches, yet.

Full story: http://www.thephuketnews.com/lifeguard-warns-of-deadly-bluebottles-spotted-off-north-phuket-beach-this-morning-57862.php


-- Phuket News 2016-06-14

[manfredtillmann]

they are not 'deadly', they just hurt a fair bit.

wash and use vinegar if stung.

stay up - wind when swimming, as in behind a rock ledge or similar.

and watch where you are walking on the beach at night, they still sting after hours out of the water.

[lonewolf99]

According to WiKi - you can die from the stings - but very rare. A small child getting badly stung would be in great distress and possibly succumb.

If you read through this it tells you NOT to put fresh water on wounds, but Vinegar or Ammonia solution and further information on treatment to alleviate the sting and pain.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_man_o%27_war

[manfredtillmann]

According to WiKi - you can die from the stings - but very rare. A small child getting badly stung would be in great distress and possibly succumb.

If you read through this it tells you NOT to put fresh water on wounds, but Vinegar or Ammonia solution and further information on treatment to alleviate the sting and pain.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_man_o%27_war

that's why you should never trust wiki.

to my knowledge, no australian has ever died from bluebottle sting.

they hurt like hell when they are big and floating, particularly when you end up with them between your legs or in your face.

my 12 months old daughter stepped on one on the beach, she screamed a fair bit - but she always did with everything. by the time we had her at hospital she did not even remember properly anymore.

[stevenl]

According to WiKi - you can die from the stings - but very rare. A small child getting badly stung would be in great distress and possibly succumb.

If you read through this it tells you NOT to put fresh water on wounds, but Vinegar or Ammonia solution and further information on treatment to alleviate the sting and pain.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_man_o%27_war

Salt water should be applied to clean the area, after that vinegar or ammonia.

Edited June 15, 2016 by stevenl

[cornishcarlos]

A much better treatment for blue bottle stings, and the one advocated by the Australian Resuscitation Council, is to rinse well with seawater to remove microscopic stinging cells, then use hot water or ice for the pain.

[Farma]

Having been badly stung by one of these as a kid i know how much they hurt. One wrapped itself around my thigh as i jumped into the sea. I remember that leg swelling to double size.

As an adult with caloused hands and feet i can step on or pick them up with my fingers without sting but wont go in the water if i see them washed up on the beach.

[Old Croc]

As a kid and teenager I practically lived on the beach during summer. Blue bottles stings were something you copped every now and then, the worst was when you got one in the face.

Never sought treatment, the welts stopped hurting and went away eventually. Didn't want to appear woosy in front of the mates and girlies. Never heard of anyone dying from a sting.

Different people react differently to pain.

[jossthaifarang]

Deadly my Arse, I was stung by these things plenty as a little boy. Hurts a fare bit but defiantly not deadly.

[GreasyFingers]

Most of the time they are 'harmless' and the sting itself will not kill you but get a big one around the throat and the swelling could stop you from breathing.

[northernphil]

And I thought Bluebottles were flies. I also thought Portuguese men o'war were pink , they were in Cornwall 60 years ago when we were told on arriving at a holiday camp to watch out for them .

[Foexie]

Why keep saying nobody can die from a sting of these things ???

Wiki said "sometimes fatale".

Many peoples (can) die from having one bee sting or eating one peanut.

Last week did read an article of a girl died after just kissing her bf after he eat a peanutbutter sandwish just before. He didn't know she was allergic for peanuts.

[atyclb]

Mortality/Morbidity

Fatal envenomations due to box jellyfish in the tropical waters of northern Australia have been reported. Fatalities have occurred rapidly, often within 60 seconds. At least 67 deaths have been attributed to the box jellyfish. Another box jellyfish,Chiropsalmus quadrigatus, was responsible for the death of a 4-year-old boy in the Gulf of Mexico.^[9]

Physalia species have also accounted for at least three deaths since 1989 in the United States.

Most patients who develop Irukandji syndrome recover within 1-2 days, but 2 deaths were reported in Queensland, Australia, in 2002.

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/769538-overview#a6

[manfredtillmann]

Mortality/Morbidity

Fatal envenomations due to box jellyfish in the tropical waters of northern Australia have been reported. Fatalities have occurred rapidly, often within 60 seconds. At least 67 deaths have been attributed to the box jellyfish. Another box jellyfish,Chiropsalmus quadrigatus, was responsible for the death of a 4-year-old boy in the Gulf of Mexico.^[9]

Physalia species have also accounted for at least three deaths since 1989 in the United States.

Most patients who develop Irukandji syndrome recover within 1-2 days, but 2 deaths were reported in Queensland, Australia, in 2002.

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/769538-overview#a6

blue bottles and box jelly fish (stingers) are about as similar as an air pistol and an m16.