Since mid-June, the angel jellyfish Pelagia noctiluca has exploded off the coasts of Corsica and the Côte d’Azur. And also on beaches on the Adriatic Sea, more and more holidaymakers report sometimes very painful encounters with the cnidarians; as well as “Krone” reader reporter Jo F. With the words “unsuspecting Viennese injured by a jellyfish in Jesolo,” he reported to the editors and immediately showed the painful itchy rash with which his bathing session had ended.
There are even countless tips to help ease the pain. Oceanographer Fabien Lombard, however, has doubts about many of the methods: “Peeing on the wound certainly does not help,” explains the expert from the marine research institute Laboratoire d’Océanographie de Villefranche with a grin. But above all, one should not “rinse the affected area with sea water or rub it with sand”. For example, squirrel jellyfish shoot small harpoons with a poisonous cocktail from the stinging capsules attached to their tentacles.
“They Inject Nerve Agent”
“Ailments are blind, so they sting anything they come across to see if they can eat it. They inject nerve gas,” Lombard explains. As early as 2019, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warned in a report that the spread of jellyfish would lead to “gelification”, ie a kind of slime build-up in the oceans, so how should one really behave in the worst case scenario?
Do not panic
Good advice is expensive. The most important rule of conduct according to experts: keep calm and swim ashore quickly – without panic. Throwing wildly into the water will only activate more nettles. Jellyfish remains must be carefully removed. Cooling can help – as can ointments or anti-allergic drugs. If there is no rapid improvement, seek medical attention immediately!
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
