Invasionje of scorpions in the governorate of Aswan, in southern Egypt. The arachnids, pushed into streets and houses by torrential rains, have bitten more than 500 people.
This is what the Sada Elbalad website reports, citing the Egyptian Ministry of Health. There is also talk of three deaths from poisoning, the latter news still not confirmed by the minister: "503 citizens received an antidote in Aswan, after being bitten by scorpions who left their lairs due to torrential rains", he said. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, the Egyptian Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research who is also an interim Minister of Health.
Earlier an under-secretary of the Egyptian Ministry of Health in Aswan, Ehab Hanafy, said that "3 people were killed and another 450 were injured by scorpion stings due to bad weather and the latest floods that hit Aswan yesterday".
The city was hit yesterday by strong winds and rains and violent hailstorms.
Scorpion stings usually cause pain, numbness, tingling and swelling, are not fatal. But in some serious cases it can even lead to death, experiencing difficulty in breathing, muscle contractions, abnormal movements of the neck and eyes, sweating, salivation, nausea, vomiting, hypertension, tachycardia.
The minister assured the availability of a sufficient strategic supply of antidotes against the stings. In Aswan, to ensure the safety of students, schools have remained closed despite the start of Islamic week today.
(Unioneonline / L)