In a freak incident, two aged persons died and 18 others were injured after a swarm of venomous bees stung them at Michaelpatti near Thirukattupalli in Thanjavur district on Thursday.
Referred to as ‘kasandu’ in local parlance, the bees are normally found in coconut groves. Thursday’s attack in the village followed a mild shower when the swarm of bees came out of its colony in a tree and swooped down on passers by in the village, police sources said.
Two of the victims T.Sivanandham (60), and A.Irudayaraj (70), who suffered severe stings, were rushed to the hospital by locals. Both were pronounced dead at the Thirukattupalli Government Hospital. A few others were treated as out-patients at the hospital, while five persons were referred to the Thanjavur Medical College Hospital.
Hospital sources said that the condition of those admitted was stable. Three of them got discharged on their own, while the remaining two were under observation for the next 24 hours to ensure that there was no after effects, said a doctor. Police have registered a case.
There have been instances of ferocious ‘kasandu’ attacks on humans in Tiruchi and neighbouring districts in the past. The attacked person is usually pursued relentlessly by the bees.
Elderly more vulnerable
Medical experts say multiple stings by swarm of bees would result in excruciating pain for the victims who would experience giddiness, unbearable pain, fall in blood pressure and shock. Multiple stings could lead to shock which could turn fatal - more so for the aged persons and children.
In case of mass attack by bees, the victims would undergo anaphylactic shock which was an extreme medical emergency situation that could prove fatal unless immediate medical attention is not given, say experts.
Medical experts’ suspect that the victims could have died of anaphylactic shock as huge volume of toxins could have got injected into their body through mass attack of bees. The age factor could also be the reason for their death, say the experts.
In the event of multiple stings, the volume of toxins injected into the body from the bees could lead to acute renal failure, which could turn fatal if proper medical care is not given, says Dr. P.G. Sankaranarayanan, Dean, Thanjavur Medical College.
