Recently, it was reported that a 2-year-old Russian boy had died after getting stung by a jellyfish while on vacation with his parents at Pantai Cenang, Langkawi.
Thankfully, Public Health Malaysia and the Ministry of Health (MOH) had previously revealed some dos and don’ts on what to do when one is stung by a jellyfish.
This image is for illustration purposes only.
According to a Facebook post by Public Health Malaysia that was shared by MOH, cleaning a jellyfish sting with urine is a complete myth and nonsense, while adding that the most effective method is to rinse the sting area with vinegar for at least 30 seconds.
“Don’t try to treat a jellyfish sting with urine. The idea that urine is a good treatment for jellyfish stings may come from an old myth. There’s no need to pee on your jellyfish sting!”
Here are their steps on what to do when stung by a jellyfish:
- Get out of the water immediately
- Rinse the sting area with vinegar for 30 seconds
- Gently remove the stinger (with a tweezer)
However, they clarified that this method may NOT work for all types of jellyfish stings.
What else to do (or not to do!)
They also encourage anyone with a jellyfish sting to NOT wipe or rub any remaining jellyfish tentacles with a towel or cloth, as this will cause further damage to the cells that are affected by the sting.
“The more you move when you try to remove the tentacles of a jellyfish, the more venom will be released.”
Ultimately, ensure you seek emergency medical services at a hospital should you experience signs of a severe allergy, should the sting be from a box jellyfish and should the sting cover more than half an arm or leg.
What do you think about this? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section.
