Woman hospitalized after getting bitten twice by 'extremely venomous' blue-ringed octopus while swimming at beach
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: A day at the beach took a devastatingly wrong turn for an Australian woman as she got bitten by a deadly blue-ringed octopus multiple times at Sydney’s north shore. The incident took place at around 2.45 pm on Thursday, March 16, at the Chinamans Beach in Mosman, where the woman, who is said to be in her 30s, got bit on her stomach by the deadly animal. Once the incident was reported to the medical emergency services, paramedics from the New South Wales Ambulance rushed to the scene to help.
The victim had apparently been swimming when she picked up a shell and got attacked by the octopus, according to FOX News. The species is known to be one of the most poisonous and dangerous ones in the world. When the octopus fell out of the shell, it bit the woman twice on her stomach. She then reported having abdominal pain in the area of the bite, and paramedics applied pressure and a cold compress to help soothe the hurt. The victim was immediately taken to the North Shore Hospital, where she will be monitored and further calls about treatment will be made.
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‘Extremely venomous’
Recounting the victim’s harrowing experience, the ambulance company said, "A blue-ringed octopus bite is a rare call for us, but they are extremely venomous.” NSW Ambulance inspector Christian Holmes then went on to add, "The patient was experiencing some abdominal pain around the bite site, so paramedics applied pressure and a cold compress before taking her to Royal North Shore hospital to be monitored and treated for further symptoms."
What makes blue-ringed octopuses deadly?
The sea animal gets its name from the blue marks that appear on its skin when it feels threatened. The blue-ringed octopus produces a fast-acting toxin that causes pain, poison attacks, and even paralysis in its victims.
According to the Australian Institute of Marine Science, the toxin from the bite of this octopus can be fatal and is said to have caused the death of at least two people in Australia and one person in Singapore. The bites do not cause unconsciousness, but they do cause paralysis of voluntary muscles including the respiratory organs - which causes death via lack of oxygen. More often than not, victims find themselves picking up the octopus thinking it is harmless, only to see the blue rings appear later, after it feels threatened by the contact.
