Thousands stung in Australian jellyfish 'invasion'
published : 7 Jan 2019 at 15:22
writer: Gary Boyle
ORIGINAL SOURCE/WRITER: AFP
SYDNEY: Highly venomous jellyfish have stung more than three thousand people on Australia's northeastern shores in just a few days, authorities said Monday, forcing the closure of several beaches.
The massive influx of Portuguese man o' war jellyfish, whose stings are notoriously painful, has been described as an "invasion" by local media in the state of Queensland.
Coastguard association Surf Life Saving said 3,595 people had suffered painful burns after encounters with the creatures, also known as bluebottles for their transparent bluish appearance.
At least four major beaches remained closed as the organisation warned that even more jellyfish were on their way.
"A wall of bluebottles is approaching #Rainbow beach. Lifesavers are closing the beach. Please stay out of the water," read one of several warnings from Surf Life Saving.
Bluebottle stings are a frequent occurrence but the large number of people stung in the last few days has surprised authorities.
The doctors' group describes the symptoms of a sting as an "immediate sharp pain and acute inflammatory skin reaction".
"The intense skin pain can last from minutes to many hours... The sting can also cause nausea, vomiting and general feeling of malaise."
Treatment includes rinsing the wound with water at 45 degrees Celsius or using icepacks.
Learn from listening
Vocabulary
- inflammatory (adj): causing or involving swelling (becoming larger or rounder than normal) - ที่ก่อให้เกิดอาการบวม
- influx: a large number of people or things coming in to a place - การหลั่งไหล การไหลบ่า (เข้าไปยังที่ใดที่หนึ่ง)
- invasion: a situation in which a large number of people or things come to a place at the same time, especially in an annoying way - การบุกรุก
- jellyfish (noun): a sea creature with a body like jelly and long thin parts called tentacles that can give a sharp sting - แมงกะพรุน
- malaise (noun): a general feeling of being ill/sick, unhappy or not satisfied, without signs of any particular problem - ความรู้สึกไม่สบาย, ความละเหี่ย
- nausea: the feeling that you are going to vomit (throw up food from the stomach) - อาการคลื่นไส้
- notoriously: famous for something bad - ซึ่งมีชื่อเสียงในทางไม่ดี
- sting (verb): (past form "stung") if an insect, plant or animal stings, it produces a small but painful injury, usually with a poison, by brushing against the skin or making a very small hole under the skin - แมลงกัดต่อย
- transparent: allowing you to see through it - ที่มองผ่านได้ง่าย
