Scorpion plague in Egypt leaves three dead and hundreds injured

Scorpion plague in Egypt leaves three dead and hundreds injured

Torrential storms have hit the Egyptian city of Aswan, bringing rain, hailstones, and severe flooding. The accumulation of water is such that snakes and scorpions have been led to seek refuge inside the homes of the city’s residents.

According to the local daily publication, Al-Ahram, as a result, a plague of scorpions has invaded the city and killed three people who were not been able to survive their stings. This same media outlet has reported that another 503 people have had to be treated with an antidote for scorpion stings.

It has been so bad that doctors on vacation have had to be recalled to cope with the demand for treatment from scorpion stings. Stocks of the antidote have also had to be expanded. Symptoms of a scorpion sting include severe pain, fever, sweating, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle tremors, and head spasms.

Ashraf Attia, the governor of Aswan, has urged residents to avoid leaving their homes, and, above all, not to take shelter from the storm under trees. As long as the storm continues then so will the deluge of scorpions he explained.

They are one of the most dangerous creatures in the world

The species of scorpions that have taken over the city are specimens of the thick-tailed Arabian scorpion or Androctonus crassicauda. Despite measuring just under 10 centimetres, they are recognised as being one of the most dangerous creatures in the world.

These scorpions possess a highly toxic venom that can kill an adult person in around one hour. Thus, it is vitally important to act quickly and go to the doctor immediately if stung by one of these specimens. It is estimated that around 1.2 million scorpion stings occur worldwide each year. Of all of them, only 0.27 per cent end in death, as reported by lavanguardia.com.

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