Sunday, November 14, 2021

Scorpion swarms kill 3, injure hundreds in Egyptian city

Scorpions inundated a city in southern Egypt on Saturday, killing three people and injuring 453.

Heavy storms, including rain, hail and thunder, flooded the city of Aswan and the nearby Nile River in recent days.

An expert told local media that heavy rains wash scorpions and snakes out of their resting places, causing them to seek shelter in homes, particularly on high ground.

Doctors in the area were redirected from a COVID vaccination campaign to treat stings. Health officials said extra doses of anti-venom were sent to clinics. People were encouraged to avoid mountainous and wooded areas.

A sting from Egypt’s fat-tail scorpion can kill a human in under an hour.