box jelly fish kills 2 women in Thailand and Malaysia

[master klaus]

Here a message I got today from a kite surfer.

This might be of interest to you: (from biggest swedish newspaper)

2 swedish women killed by the special "box" jelly fish this year: one in
Malaysia in January and one in Cha Am, Thailand yesterday:

http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article8140986.ab
http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article8140986.ab

En giftig brännmanet kan ha tagit livet av svenska Ann Nordh, 59, från
Jönköping.

Hon avled i turistorten Cha-am i Thailand i söndags när hon badade.

En obduktion ska nu fastställa dödsorsaken, men enligt det sjukhus som hon
fördes till tyder det mesta på att hon kommit i kontakt med en livsfarlig
brännmanet.

Ann Nordh var i Thailand på semester tillsammans med sin man.


Livsfarligt gift


Det finns flera olika sorters giftiga djur i vattnen i Sydostasien. Inte
minst den livsfarliga kubmaneten som kan ha upp till två meter långa
tentakler med nässelceller. Det är ett av världens giftigaste djur. Den som
blir stungen av en kubmanet kan dö av hjärtstillestånd på bara några
sekunder.
Senast i januari avled svenskan Carina Löfgren, 45, efter att ha kommit i
kontakt med en kubmanet i Malaysia.

Here is a translation of part of the former article into english (from
another swedish newspaper):

A poisonous jellyfish may have killed a Swedish woman in Cha-Am.

Ann Nordh, 59, from Jonkoping died last Sunday in the resort of Cha-am in
Thailand when she went swimming, writes the Swedish tabloid Aftonbladet.

An autopsy will later determine the cause of death. But according to the
hospital she was taken to its most likely that she has been in contact a
deadly jellyfish.

Ann Nordh was in Thailand on holiday together with her husband.

According to the marine biology centre in nearby Phuket the box jellyfish
has become more common in recent years in the waters off Malaysia and
Thailand - popular winter destinations for hordes of Swedish tourists.

The centre issued an official warning last winter when an unusual number of
the deadly jellyfish were found off the coast.




I thought the real deadly jelly fish exist only in Australia.

BE AWARE! To put some vinegar when you get stung by this breed might not be
enough!

6 Seconds until your heart stops.

Greetings and so long,

Felix, Hua Hin

[Nereus]

I thought the real deadly jelly fish exist only in Australia.BE AWARE! To put some vinegar when you get stung by this breed might not be
enough!

6 Seconds until your heart stops.

Greetings and so long,

Felix, Hua Hin

You may be getting confused with the Blue Ringed Octupus, Klaus:

http://marinebio.org/species.asp?id=403

World Range & Habitat
The blue-ringed octopus, Hapalochlaena maculosa, can be found only in the temperate waters of southern Australia, from southern Western Australia to eastern Victoria at depths ranging from 0-50 m.

Hapalochlaena lunulata can be found in shallow reefs and tide pools from northern Australia to Japan, including Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Philippines, and Indonesia and as far west as Sri Lanka at depths ranging from 0-20 m.

While resting, the blue-ringed octopus is a pale brown to yellow color depending on its surroundings. But when alarmed, this octopus displays bright blue rings all over its body and Hapalochlaena lunulata carries enough venom to kill 26 adult humans within minutes (see below for more information on toxicity).

Australian Box Jellyfish:

http://www.outback-australia-travel-sec ... yfish.html

[hhfarang]

Another report in English:

Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet has reported on another Scandinavian fatality in Thailand following a box jellyfish sting.

Ann Nordh, 59, from Jonkoping, was in Thailand on holiday with her husband. She died last Sunday in the Thai resort of Cha-am, after contact with a suspected deadly box jellyfish.

This follows the case of another Swedish tourist, Moa Bergman, aged 11, who was killed by a jellyfish off the tourist island of Koh Lanta in Thailand in 2008, and another case in Malaysia, earlier this year, when a Swedish tourist, Carina Lofgren died a quick but painful death after a box jellyfish attack.

In Carina's case, there was strong suspicion of a cover-up by the Malaysian authorities.

The doctor wrote "drowning" in my wife's autopsy report, says widower Ronnie Löfgren.

Ronny was just three feet behind his wife Carina, 45, when the deadly jellyfish attacked.

“Suddenly she started screaming and scratched her legs frantically. I understood immediately that it was a jellyfish attack " he says.

A few minutes later Carina Löfgren died in her husband's arms. He could still see the tentacles around his wife’s legs.

The accident occurred in February on the island of Langkawi in Malaysia.

“The doctor concluded that drowning was the sole cause of Carina's death. But that's bullshit. I saw the jellyfish and the damage it caused”.

“The only conclusion I can draw from this is that Malaysians want to hide the truth about the dangers of the deadly jellyfish. They are terrified of the fact that jellyfish can scare away tourists, "he says.

There are similar fears of a cover up in Thailand from Scandinavian tour operators fearful of losing custom if the prevalence of box jellyfish becomes widely known.

Aftonbladet reported that Swedish tour operators are still playing down the threat, and only warning holidaymakers locally about the risks, when they arrive at their hotels.
Thai authorities are aware, and according to the marine biology centre in Phuket, box jellyfish have become more common in recent years in the waters off Malaysia and Thailand. The centre issued an official warning last winter when an unusual number of the deadly jellyfish were found off the coast.

[LLSO]

As a Coastal and Marine Geologist this is something I have been aware of for some time. I was also a resident of Hua Hin for 7 years.

It is not outside the realm of possibilities as fluctuations in sea temperatures, currents, and seasonal populations of certain species, Box Jellyfish included. It is a classic case of being in the wrong place at the right time. It could have also be an extreme allergic reaction to the many other venomous species of Cnidarians(Jellyfish) that are normally present in the Gulf of Thailand. There was a rather well documented case of a fatal Box Jelltfish sting off of Koh Samui many years ago. Certainly not good news for tourism as we approach the high season. Altough I would imagine the probabilities of being stung are very remote for the casual tourist. Probably a higher chance of being killed in a road accident.

LL

[crazy88]

2 very tragic incidents and 2 examples of bad reporting.I can assure you jellyfish do not "attack" either you swim into them or they drift into you. Also AN other forum posted a picture of a portuguese " Man-o-war" which are not even similar looking and float on the surface. They can pack quite a nasty sting I believe but I have never seen one in these waters. Boxes I have seen 3 in over 5000 dives and many years of swimming daily with a mask and snorkel. The mask of course enables you to see and therefore avoid any such creatures. Sweeping your feet slowly across the sand when wading in the shallows rather than lifting them up and down will scare away any spiny little fish that you might otherwise put your foot down on. Nudging an urchin or a crown of thorns sideways gently with your foot is highly unlikely to result in a venomous puncture wound. Putting you foot firmly straight down on one is a completely different story. Kids tend to jump about a bit more so get them a pair of wetsuit boots. Protects from any other sharp objects such as broken glass as well. Also tell them not to pick up or touch ANYTHING. Most creatures like sea cucumbers, starfish etc. are harmless but those pretty little cone shells and those fascinating flower urchins could really mess up the holiday plans.

Crazy 88

[Endre]

Do they also report all the Swedish people that died in a traffic accidents in South East Asia. Bet you that is a lot more. Really bad that this happened to these people, but it can just happen.

[deepee]

Come across a few reports of fatalities due to jellyfish from around the region over the past few years and oddly all seem to have been Europeans.
Considering how the locals must outnumber foreigners by a factor in the hundreds how come they don't get injured? Or do they but are the stats withheld maybe?

[barrys]

Come across a few reports of fatalities due to jellyfish from around the region over the past few years and oddly all seem to have been Europeans.
Considering how the locals must outnumber foreigners by a factor in the hundreds how come they don't get injured? Or do they but are the stats withheld maybe?

Could have something to do with the fact that the locals who do venture into the water (i.e. those few not too scared of having their skin 'turning black') do so fully clothed

[sandman67]

Statistically folks this one ranks around with "getting struck by Lightning" and just above "getting struck by Blue Ice/meteor".

The best cure for irrational fear is reasonable caution.