Deadly jellyfish - make a note of the Box Jelly Hotline - 1669#

[rooster59]

Deadly jellyfish - make a note of the Box Jelly Hotline - 1669#

 

Image: Daily News

 

Heath and tourism authorities in the southern islands of Samui and Pangan have announced a box jellyfish hotline: 1669#

Call the number if you are stung and start feeling a stinging and hot sensation.

But be quick - doctors say that the creatures can kill in minutes especially if the victim is unlucky enough to be stung on the genitals, area of the heart or the head.

The season for the creatures is now here and will last through August.

Koh Pangan Hospital issued the first warning a couple of days ago after a sighting at Lamai on Samui. Now the Thai International Hospital on Samui has weighed in with pertinent advice.

But the best news is that nets have been put in the sea at Lamai beach where the first box jellyfish of the season was washed up this week. The local tourism authority are saying swimming within the nets is "100% safe".

Hospital director at Thai International Dunyakit Withayajanyaphong said that tourists who are stung should first of all put as much vinegar on the sting as possible.

On no account rub, wipe or touch the sting - just douse it in copious amounts of vinegar.

Then get to a hospital as quickly as possible. Speed is of the essence as death can occur in 2-10 minutes if the sting is severe enough in vulnerable parts of the body.

Meanwhile Samui tourism rep and a manager at the Lamai Wantha Hotel Kritsana Phromkoh was encouraging tourists to use the 310 meter net that has been set up on Lamai beach.

She said the initiative was a government and private sector effort and anyone swimming inside the net would be 100% protected from jellyfish.

However, she said there was plenty of provision to help those who could not make it to the netted off area.

Medics, lifeguards and staff on jet-skis were all ready to help in the area and were armed with vinegar and know-how.

 

Source: Daily News

 

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-07-22

[Samui Bodoh]

It is good to see that this issue is starting to be taken seriously!

 

I hope other beaches and hotels might follow suit with better information and nets.

 

 

 

 

Edited July 21, 2017 by Samui Bodoh

[metisdead]

A troll post has been removed. 

[faraday]

What sort of Vinegar helps, Malt/NBC/white?

[impulse]

5 hours ago, rooster59 said:

But be quick - doctors say that the creatures can kill in minutes especially if the victim is unlucky enough to be stung on the genitals,

 

If it's as painful as presented in the media, with no drug strong enough to abate the pain, I think I'd probably beg for euthanasia in that case...

 

[Juan B Tong]

Absolutely nothing about any kind of jellyfish is funny

[Boss]

Not good for the splendid Thai image, so don't expect too much spread of the news

[alkazared]

Any type of vinegar can be used I always have a small bottle in my beach kit. It is the acetic acid in vinegar that neutralizes the jellyfish sting.Do not try to rub it in or get the tentacles of you as this causes them to trigger more stings after treating with vinegar get the tentacles off with a credit type card to scrape them off.

[TheLobster]

18 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Koh Pangan Hospital issued the first warning a couple of days ago after a sighting at Lamai on Samui.

Why is a hospital on KP issuing a warning of a sighting on Samui?

 

Also anyone know why a 310m net makes you '100% safe' ? is it completely enclosed?

[Samui Bodoh]

13 hours ago, alkazared said:

Any type of vinegar can be used I always have a small bottle in my beach kit. It is the acetic acid in vinegar that neutralizes the jellyfish sting.Do not try to rub it in or get the tentacles of you as this causes them to trigger more stings after treating with vinegar get the tentacles off with a credit type card to scrape them off.

 

The idea of NOT rubbing the sting seems to be a key element in my reading of available information. I think the temptation would be great, but it would only make it worse. Soak in as much vinegar as possible, then grit your teeth and suck up the pain.

 

And a quick trip to the hospital might be in order as well...

Edited July 23, 2017 by metisdead
Please do not modify someone else's post in your quoted reply, either with font or color changes.

[Samui Bodoh]

7 hours ago, TheLobster said:

Why is a hospital on KP issuing a warning of a sighting on Samui?

 

The islands are close enough that if there are box jelly fish at one of them, then there are box jelly fish at both.

 

And I remember a terrible story from a few years back where a four year old boy was killed playing in the surf at Koh Phangnam.

 

The warning(s) should have been issued long before now.

[quadperfect]

Be quick to hospital cause in 2 to 10 minutes you can die. So run people dont walk? What are  these idiots saying? vinagar wont save youre life. You either die or you dont. Vinager helps w pain only. The sting is already happened.

A perfectly maintained net is 100 percent safe but in thailand i give it a lot less than 100 percent and thats just common knowledge.

People will die here from stings this year that i do know 100 percent.

[tryasimight]

33 minutes ago, quadperfect said:

Be quick to hospital cause in 2 to 10 minutes you can die. So run people dont walk? What are  these idiots saying? vinagar wont save youre life. You either die or you dont. Vinager helps w pain only. The sting is already happened.

A perfectly maintained net is 100 percent safe but in thailand i give it a lot less than 100 percent and thats just common knowledge.

People will die here from stings this year that i do know 100 percent.

Box jellyfish are very different to what most of the European posters on TV may be used to. They can , and do kill.

Vinegar does nothing, absolutely nothing for the pain. It is supposed to stop the broken off tentacles from continuing to 'fire' although this is being challenged by some scientists. A few years ago methylated sprits was the recommended treatment until the vinegar treatment was promoted.

Good chance if you have been stung severely you won't be running anywhere. Typically what happens is that after the initial sting, the victim flails around trying to dislodged the threat and in doing so becomes even more envenomed.  Death can follow quite quickly. 

The photo shows a box jellyfish sting outcome. the youngster passed away sadly 

 

Interesting the original article mentioned being stung on the genitals.........I'm not that adventurous in the ocean and wear shorts.

Edited July 23, 2017 by tryasimight

[hhinhh]

Make sure you are swimming only in an area from where you can reach a hospital in 2 minutes.

[TheLobster]

15 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

The islands are close enough that if there are box jelly fish at one of them, then there are box jelly fish at both.

Yes, Of course I know that KPG is close to Samui, I see it across the water most days! That doesn't answer the question.

 

Quote

Koh Pangan Hospital issued the first warning a couple of days ago after a sighting at Lamai on Samui

 

Edited July 23, 2017 by TheLobster

[stiggy]

Was hit by one of these buggers in 2009 13th December, after diving between Tao and KPG.

 

Very painful, Unconscious in less than 5 mins, heart stopped on way to hospital (evacuate Boat) Eyes turned red due to blood vessels exploding in them. 4 Days in ICU. Recovery took months, and I still have nerve damage as a result.

 

Wasn't fun at all, at the time pretty much everyone said they are not here etc etc. Good to see that the government are finally warning people. I had 1000's of hours in the sea around Tao and KPG , stung once by the first git I encountered . I have been in the sea since but a bit more cautious now. History of stings show rainy seasons are the worst time.

 

Ironically live in Cairns now and deal with research for other venomous sea creatures.

[Dario]

"The season for the creatures is now here and will last through August."

Well, we're August 29, the end of the month. Amazing Thailand ...

Edited August 29, 2018 by Dario

[PoorSucker]

16 hours ago, Dario said:

"The season for the creatures is now here and will last through August."

Well, we're August 29, the end of the month. Amazing Thailand ...

You are replying to an one year old thread, no reports about jellyfish this year. 

[huberthammer]

On 8/30/2018 at 7:23 AM, PoorSucker said:

You are replying to an one year old thread, no reports about jellyfish this year. 

Jellyfish warning a year ago seemed almost pleasant compared to the madness the Samui forum has on this year....   I saw the topic and thought "finally a sensible topic which will not lead to posters being at each other's throat". Short lived joy.

[kwilco]

On 7/23/2017 at 7:09 AM, Samui Bodoh said:

 

The idea of NOT rubbing the sting seems to be a key element in my reading of available information. I think the temptation would be great, but it would only make it worse. Soak in as much vinegar as possible, then grit your teeth and suck up the pain.

 

And a quick trip to the hospital might be in order as well...

then grit your teeth and suck up the pain.

 

I don't think you fully appreciate the effects of a box jelly sting... apart from the pain being well off the Richter scale the toxins have psychological effects as well, the most powerful being morbidity.......gritting your teeth just doesn't enter into it.

[kwilco]

There is a lot of misinformation and disinformation surrounding box jellies.

The first being identification. The second being the idea that there is a season..... so far there is no scientific study of the local species that has identified a season.

They don't even know where they come from.

Box jellies are not "real" jellyfish....they have rudimentary eyes and can swim quite fast.

 

If you want to get informed, there is an app available for both iOX and Android. ... it covers ID and sightings worldwide.

It is developed by Lisa Gershwin, one of the world's leading authorities on Box Jellies and other Jellyfish too....

Free or pro versions

 

https://thejellyfishapp.com/home