JERTIH: The Civil Defence Force in Besut has recorded 31 cases of venomous jellyfish stings involving victims aged between three and 44 at Pantai Bukit Keluang since May until Thursday (June 4).
Besut Civil Defence Officer Capt Mohd Fazlien Jaafar said all the victims were visitors who had been swimming at the popular beach.
"In May alone, 23 individuals were reported to have been stung by venomous jellyfish, while another eight cases were recorded up to last Friday (June 5).
"These figures are based on victims who sought initial treatment at the Civil Defence Force Observation Tower after being stung by the marine creature,” he told Bernama on Sunday (June 7).
He said the authorities could not rule out the possibility that more beachgoers had been stung while swimming at the location but had not reported the incidents.
Meanwhile, Mohd Fazlien said victims who sought assistance at the Civil Defence Force Observation Tower were given immediate treatment by personnel on duty.
He said those stung by jellyfish typically experienced skin redness and pain in the affected parts of the body, particularly the hands.
"Our personnel will spray the affected area with a special solution before advising victims who experience allergic reactions to seek further treatment at a hospital immediately.
"The large number of visitors to the beach during the holiday season last month contributed to the relatively high number of sting cases recorded,” he said.
He added that the presence of jellyfish in the area was first detected last month and their numbers are expected to decline gradually.
He advised visitors planning to swim or engage in water activities at the beach to remain vigilant and exercise caution to avoid jellyfish stings. — Bernama
