A TEACHER dad and his son killed after a swarm of wild Asian hornets stung them “more than a hundred times” during their holiday in Laos.
Daniel Owen, 47, and Cooper, 15, died on October 15 after being attacked by hundreds of Asian giant hornets while they were ziplining at an adventure resort.
The hornets swarmed over the two Americans as they were descending from a tree, The Times reports.
Phanomsay Phakan, a doctor at the Phakan Arocavet Clinic where the pair were first taken, said: “Their whole bodies were covered in red spots.
“It was very, very painful. A lot of stings, more than one hundred, over the whole body. I thought already that it’s a very dangerous situation because I had never seen it as bad as that.”
It is understood that Owen and his son were still breathing when they arrived at the clinic – and showed no symptoms of anaphylactic shock – the allergic reaction caused when stung by wasps or hornets.
They were quickly transferred to a local hospital, where they died after a few hours.
Owen was the director of one of the branches of Quality Schools International, which is a private school chain that serves the children of diplomats around the world.
In a statement on social media, QSI said: “We are deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Dan Owen, Director of QSI International School of Haiphong, and his son Cooper, due to a tragic accident.
“Dan dedicated 18 years to QSI, serving in five different schools and touching countless lives with his warmth, leadership, and unwavering commitment to education.
“He was deeply loved across our community and will be profoundly missed. Our sincere condolences go out to the Owen family and all who knew and loved them.”
Asian hornets, called Vespa velutina, have strong stings that can cause painful and potentially deadly allergic reactions.
The 25mm-long creatures eat bees, with experts stating that they can “butcher” 90,000 pollinating insects in just one season.
Also known as yellow-legged hornets first made their way to Europe when a queen was imported into France with some pottery by mistake.
Since then, the insects have rapidly spread into neighbouring countries like the Netherlands, Belgium, and the UK.
The influx of the non-native species has troubled scientists, conservationists and beekeepers across the continent.
They risk damaging biodiversity and contributing heavily to already dwindling bee and insect numbers.
Asian hornets feed on bees and wasps, so they can have a devastating impact on the local insect populations.
They also run a risk to people.
What to do if you’re stung by an Asian hornet & symptoms to look out for
If anything is left on, or in your skin, the first thing you need to do is remove it carefully, according to the NHS.
- Brush or scrape the stinger sideways with your fingernail or the edge of a bank card.
- Do not use tweezers to pull out a stinger as you could squeeze poison out of it.
- Wash the area with soap and water.
If there’s nothing in your skin, or you’ve removed it, wash your skin with soap and water to help lower the chance of infection.
The bite or sting should get better in a few days. There are some things you can do to ease your symptoms.
DO
- Put an ice pack wrapped in a cloth or a clean cloth soaked in cold water on the bite or sting for at least 20 minutes, if it’s swollen
- Keep the area raised if you can
- Take painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen if the sting is painful
- Use antihistamines to relieve any itching
- Use a hydrocortisone cream to reduce itching and swelling
DON’T
- Do not scratch the bite or sting, as it could get infected
- Do not use home remedies such as bicarbonate of soda to treat the bite or sting
You should ask for an urgent doctor’s appointment if:
- Your symptoms get worse or are not getting any better
- You were stung in your mouth or throat, or near your eyes
- You have tummy pain and are being sick
- You feel dizzy or lightheaded
- A large area around the bite or sting becomes red and swollen
- You have a high temperature and swollen glands
- You were stung more than once
- You’ve had a serious allergic reaction to an insect bite or sting before
Call emergency services if:
- Your lips, mouth, throat or tongue suddenly become swollen
- You’re breathing very fast or struggling to breathe (you may become very wheezy or feel like you’re choking or gasping for air)
- Your throat feels tight or you’re struggling to swallow
- Your skin, tongue or lips turn blue, grey or pale (if you have black or brown skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet)
- You suddenly become very confused, drowsy or dizzy
- Someone faints and cannot be woken up
- A child is limp, floppy or not responding like they normally do (their head may fall to the side, backwards or forwards, or they may find it difficult to lift their head or focus on your face)
You or the unwell person may also have a rash that’s swollen, raised or itchy.
These can be signs of a serious allergic reaction and may need immediate treatment in a hospital.