When is jellyfish season in Thailand? Jellyfish in Thailand: what to do if you are stung by a jellyfish

Jellyfish burn in Thailand.

Every tourist who has vacationed by the ocean or the sea has experience of contact with jellyfish. Possible consequences communication with them are different - from a simple burn to death. In Thailand, jellyfish are found both on the coast of the Gulf of Thailand and in the Andaman Sea, but there are especially many of them on the islands. Their maximum number is observed after a rain or a storm - therefore, most of them are in the sea during the rainy season. During the main tourist season (November - March), they become much smaller, but they do not disappear completely. Between 1995 and 2017, 15 registered in Thailand deaths associated with poisonous jellyfish, so you need to know some information about them when planning your vacation in Thailand and, preferably, avoid meeting with them at all.

This article will describe the most dangerous species jellyfish in Thailand, prevention, symptoms requiring emergency medical care, what can and cannot be done with a burn, as well as methods for treating a jellyfish burn (including a list medical preparations) to relieve the condition after contact with poisonous tentacles. The same information with detailed pictures can be found on the wikiHow website.

The most dangerous jellyfish in Thailand.

Over the past few years, due to changing climatic conditions, dangerous species of jellyfish have appeared in Thailand, namely the wasp jellyfish (Chironex fleckeri) and the Portuguese man-of-war (Physalia physalis). Hidden within their tentacles are stinging cells, or nematocytes, containing a nerve venom that serves both defense and foraging. Contact with the tentacles of any of these jellyfish leads to the fact that the stinging cells contained in them "shoot" at the victim - injecting poison into it. And this, in turn, can lead to very serious consequences, so when swimming in the sea, you must be very careful and careful.

Prevention of stings by jellyfish.

If contact with a jellyfish did occur, then the first symptoms will be a burning sensation or a sudden prick. Then there is redness of the affected area of ​​the skin, its swelling, itching and burning sensation. In this case, it is urgent to get ashore and already on the shore decide what to do next, depending on the severity of the condition. This mainly concerns children, people of the older age group, as well as those who suffer from cardiovascular (hypertension, coronary artery disease, etc.), respiratory diseases (asthma, chronic lung disease, etc.) or allergic diseases. These patients have weaker mechanisms for adapting to sudden changes in their body, which can lead to serious consequences.

Symptoms requiring emergency hospitalization.

1. Dizziness.
   
2. Pre-fainting state.
   
3. Sudden weakness, to trembling in the knees.
   
4. Feeling of suffocation and shortness of breath.
5. Respiratory failure.
6. Chest pain.
7. Numb feeling.
8. Sharp, severe and sudden pain in the abdomen.
9. Nausea and vomiting.
   

If you have at least one of these symptoms must be contacted immediately to the nearest hospital. Delay is fraught with serious consequences. Emergency number 191!

First aid for a jellyfish sting.

As soon as a person stung by a jellyfish is out of the water, it is necessary to take a few simple steps by giving him first aid.

1. First, you need to wash the affected area with sea water, lime juice, vinegar (soda solution is also suitable, but it is difficult to find it on the beach), which will neutralize the effect of the poison (including the one still in the tentacles). It is necessary to wash the burn for 30-60 seconds - this time is enough to inactivate the poison. Never use for washing fresh water, soda or alcohol - they provoke an additional release of poison. The British branch of the International Red Cross conducted a study in which it proved that urine will not bring relief. In her chemical composition there are simply no compounds that can relieve the pain of a jellyfish burn, writes The Daily Telegraph.
2. Then it is necessary to remove any remnants of the jellyfish from the surface of the skin - tentacles, stinging cells, but only after the poison has been neutralized. In no case you can't do it with bare hands! They may also contain poison. Take a wand, tweezers, a knife (only use its blunt side - suicide is not an option in this case), a credit card and gently scrape the affected area. Yes, it's annoying, but very important.
3. The affected area of ​​the skin can be immersed in hot water - temperature 40 - 45C for 30 - 90 minutes. The journal Toxins reported a study showing that this procedure inactivates the poison and reduces the feeling of pain better than ice.
4. Do not comb the affected area - this will increase blood circulation and accelerate the spread of the absorbed poison throughout the body.
5. The poison of some jellyfish begins to act only after 15-20 minutes, so if the victim is allergic, pregnant or Small child, It has chronic diseases- asthma, hypertension, ischemic disease heart - you need to go to the nearest hospital for health monitoring.
6. After carrying out these priority measures, it is worth starting to prevent delayed reactions to jellyfish venom. The ideal option is ointments / gels / creams that have antihistamine and anti-inflammatory properties.

Jellyfish burn treatment in Thailand.

If the bite touched the eyes or organs oral cavity, you must immediately consult a doctor by following the first 3 steps of the above first aid algorithm for a jellyfish sting. On the equipped beaches of Thailand there are lifeguards who can provide first aid and, if necessary, call an ambulance. If there are no symptoms requiring emergency hospitalization and you have completed all the steps emergency care when bitten by a jellyfish, the burn disappears after 10-20 days. But you can speed up the process of recovery from a jellyfish sting with the help of medical means.

Who would have thought that a coveted piece of heaven on Earth might not be so safe? Thailand is a country of sun, ocean and boundless bliss, especially for tourists from Russia, Europe and Asia.

But most of all fell in love with travelers. Almost all year round people come here to enjoy the summer, sea water, an abundance of fruits. Unfortunately, the whole holiday can spoil ... «» !

A little about the "Portuguese boats"

A meeting with such a monster can end in defeat for a person. Unfortunately, death is also possible. The Portuguese ship is a sea creature similar to a jellyfish. . This predator is able to move through water and land quite quickly.

Now let's talk about him. appearance. Imagine a blue jellyfish with an airy translucent sail of the same color. From the side it seems like it is a balloon or an inflated float. That is why such an ocean dweller was called "portuguese boat" . The float of such a jellyfish is usually above the water. Therefore, vacationers must always look around in order to notice the approaching monster in time.

Unfortunately, sensitive vigilance does not guarantee safety. The fact is that has very thin and invisible tentacles, the length of which can reach more than 5-10 meters. The tentacles, as well as the entire body of such a jellyfish, are covered with poisonous stings.

What oceanologists say

"Portuguese ship"- this is the common name of a marine life with a beautiful scientific name "physalia" . Such a creature can swim close to the shore, or it can go free swimming with the sea and ocean currents.

Physalia is a predatory inhabitant of the sea, so it can swim up to swimmers purposefully. You need to be extremely careful not only in the water, but even on land. Unfortunately dead lying on the sand is still poisonous.

Physalia venom is different from jellyfish venom . It can break down so that the smallest particles penetrate deeper and deeper into the affected tissues. That's why it is not recommended to rub the sore spot, apply water .

Usually, physalia tends to sting in the arms, legs, neck; in a child, it can envelop the entire body.

Tough times for holidaymakers and locals

In September 2016 , like a real military column, laid siege to the shores of Phuket. Every hour you can watch on the beaches how people jump out of the water with a screech or how drowned people are dragged ashore.

Sometimes it is better to go on an excursion or a boat trip, just to avoid meeting with the physalia. Even just being on the beach without shoes is not recommended, as you can step on the remains of the tentacles, even if the main body is not visible anywhere nearby.

Travel companies must warn their customers of the danger. It is a good idea to instruct travelers before the trip so that they have time to pack the necessary things, for example, a protective swimming suit, rubber slippers. By the way, the Australians have long found a way out - a warm bathing suit for divers. So will not be able to hit the limbs, torso. Do not forget about the protection of the ankles, neck, head and hands, which remain open.

Real horror stories for tourists

Being on the beaches of Phuket is currently really unsafe. Arriving tourists talk about how they often saw how people jumped out of the water with a squeal onto the shore and fell. The fact is that the poison of the physalia paralyzes the muscles, causes terrible pain, which makes no sense to relieve painkillers.

During September, several cases were recorded when physalia stung children.

Some witnesses of the incident saw the mother bathing the child near the shore. She held the baby in her arms. But suddenly the body of the child was enveloped in long tentacles of physalia. The child began to choke. Local rescuers provided first aid, called ambulance. The baby was taken to the hospital. Whether he was saved, no one knows. Unfortunately, even deaths have been reported.

One man was stung "portuguese boat" but he didn't ask for help. I decided to treat myself. He was found dead in his room, surrounded by several water bottles. During his lifetime, the deceased tried to remove the poison by drinking plenty of water, but failed.

What to do?

Physalia is still different from the usual poisonous jellyfish in that neither water nor tomatoes can remove the poison. Local residents, as a rule, provide first aid with table vinegar. Presumably it is he who can neutralize the poison.

Physalia can only be protected from:

• excursions outside the beaches;
• cruises;
• durable shoes for walking on the beach;
• swimming in hotel pools;
• Spa treatment.

Therefore, if you really want to visit Phuket, but are afraid to run into a "Portuguese boat", choose the appropriate item from the list above. Then your holiday is guaranteed to be away from marine predators.

Are there jellyfish in Phuket? Yes, there are jellyfish off the coast of Phuket, and sometimes there are a lot of them here. Do they pose a danger? Although there has not been a single fatal incident in Phuket, I still believe that the risk of death from contact with a jellyfish is higher here than the risk of a shark attack.

What jellyfish are there in Phuket

Although Phuket belongs to the waters of another ocean, this does not mean at all that the likelihood of such incidents is completely excluded here. Yes, all fatal encounters with jellyfish have happened in the Gulf of Thailand... except for one. We are talking about the death of an 11-year-old Swedish girl who became a victim of a jellyfish on Koh Lanta in 2008. This is so far the only case of death from contact with a jellyfish on the Andaman coast of Thailand.
Box jellyfish Chironex fleckeri are known for their preference for relatively shallow, calm waters, where they are much more active than other species of jellyfish, many of which simply go with the flow. This explains why they are noticeably less common in the Andaman Sea. Box jellyfish usually "patrol" the beaches, dragging their long tentacles. Their vestigial eyes even allow them to swim around obstacles. Despite the fact that the diameter of the jellyfish itself can be about 20 centimeters, its tentacles can be more than three meters long. Since these jellyfish are translucent, they are invisible to the human eye, and people can stumble upon them even in clean water. If a a large number of poisonous stinging jellyfish cells wrap around the human torso, then a quick death right on the beach, just a few minutes after leaving the water, is quite possible. Those stung on the arms and legs by these jellyfish often survive, but suffer excruciating pain for hours and deep scars that do not heal for months.
As with fatalities, the vast majority of non-fatal encounters with box jellyfish in Thailand have occurred in the Gulf of Thailand. Local hoteliers are trying to combat this scourge by setting up first-aid posts filled with vinegar and beach nets. However, it is not uncommon to see tourists swimming behind these nets.

Poison jellyfish in Phuket

What to do if stung by a jellyfish in Phuket

Many tourists who have swum in Phuket are familiar with the feeling when suddenly a "nettle" passes through the skin. In most cases, the poisonous cells on the tentacles of jellyfish cause just such a feeling. In most cases, after contact with a jellyfish, prolonged redness remains at the site of contact, sometimes there are symptoms similar to those of poisoning. But sometimes, when in contact with a box jellyfish, the consequences can be very serious. In general, the waters in the area of ​​Phuket Island are not considered the main habitat of the box jellyfish, but during the monsoon they can be brought into the Andaman Sea by strong currents.
According to the Phuket Biological Center, the most likely contact with a box jellyfish is on Nai Harn Beach. It is not recommended to touch even a beached jellyfish, as its tentacles are still very toxic.
by the most the best option if you are stung by a jellyfish, is a trip to the doctor. If parts of the tentacles are stuck to the skin, you definitely shouldn't even try to remove them with fresh water. You can try to wash them off with sea water without touching them with your hands. It's even better to use instead sea ​​water vinegar. In any case, if you are a box jellyfish, then you should visit a doctor.

These marine animals can be seen at any time of the year, but their activity is seasonal. Jellyfish season in Thailand lasts from May to October, in other months they are much less. The closer to the equator they live, the higher their activity and toxicity. Thai jellyfish much more unpleasant neighbors than those that can be found, for example, in the Black Sea. As a rule, contact with them ends with a burn or other unpleasant sensations.

However, the Thai species of jellyfish are real children compared to those that sometimes swim into Thai waters from the coast of Australia. Before the advent of sea wasps (Chironex fleckeri) and Portuguese boats (Physalia physalis) jellyfish sting in thailand never resulted in the death of bathers. But now, despite the continuous monitoring of the waters by biologists, caution and attentiveness should become the main rule of everyone who has a rest in Thailand.

What are they, dangerous jellyfish?

Jellyfish "Sea Wasp"- the most dangerous creature. Not only does its stinging cells contain poison that can kill in four minutes, it is also translucent, and therefore almost invisible in the water column. The main danger comes not from the dome, the diameter of which reaches the size of a basketball, but from tentacles up to three meters long. The larger the Sea Wasp, the more dangerous it is. Small specimens cause burns, leaving scars, large ones cause cardiac arrest and paralysis of the lungs. If a jellyfish of this type is noticed in the water, then the beach is closed. There is only one salvation from the action of her poison - an antidote, which must be introduced as soon as possible.

The Portuguese man-of-war is less poisonous. Its dome is bright blue, about thirty cm in diameter. As a rule, it lives in the upper layers of the water and is clearly visible. Contact with its long tentacles causes anaphylactic shock and pulmonary edema.

How to avoid contact with jellyfish

To avoid acquaintance with jellyfish, you must follow a number of simple rules:

1. never swim in the rain or during a storm;
2. do not go into muddy water;
3. do not ignore warning signs and notices;
4. be careful in the water;
5. stay away from the seen jellyfish;
6. if you come into contact with something slippery and unpleasant, then do not panic, do not swing your legs and arms, try to calmly sail away;
7. know that a jellyfish washed ashore is no less dangerous than in water.

What to do if you are stung by a jellyfish

• If you feel a burn, then try not to panic. Swinging your arms and legs can cause you to get tangled up in all at once instead of touching one tentacle. The tighter the contact, the greater the dose of poison you will receive, and this can lead to fainting right in the water.
• If you feel a burn, go ashore immediately, because the symptoms of poisoning do not develop immediately. On the shore, take measures to remove the remnants of the tentacles. To do this, use a stick, tweezers, but in no case touch the affected area with your bare hand!
• Wash the burnt area with vinegar or lemon juice. Poisonous jellyfish in Thailand they use a toxin that enhances its effect when in contact with ammonia, so trying to wash the affected area with urine will only worsen the situation. Fresh water, carbonated drinks destroy the shell of stinging cells, which leads to additional poisoning, so they are also unacceptable for washing.
• Do not scratch the affected area or bandage it. Get ready to spend indirect massage heart and artificial respiration.

All of the above - first aid measures. It must be given correctly before a doctor arrives on the scene to give an anti-toxic injection.

In Thailand, they are well aware of the danger posed by jellyfish. Therefore, on equipped beaches there is always a medical aid station. All medical manipulations performed at the scene free of charge. In hotels, on beaches and even in shops, free information posters are distributed so that tourists can imagine the degree of danger and know what to do in an emergency.