Much more dangerous than its European colleague, the Asian hornet (vespa velutina nigrithorax, its scientific name) is a real problem in the west and south-west of France. If its sting is painful, in most cases it is harmless – on the other hand, it can cause serious allergic reactions (the famous anaphylactic shock), cardiovascular complications and/or respiratory distress in some people.
This Tuesday, September 5, 2017, a dozen teenagers aged 12 to 15 and an adult were attacked by a swarm of Asian hornets, an insect that is usually not very aggressive when left undisturbed in its natural environment. The victims were in the precincts of the André-Malraux college, in Amboise (Indre-et-Loire) and took advantage of their recreation.
Called to the scene, the firefighters destroyed the nest, an impressive construction which measured thirty centimeters wide by forty centimeters long and was in a hedge separating the establishment from a neighboring dwelling – the nest was at least 2 meters above the ground.
6 teenagers were hospitalized
A security perimeter was set up and 6 teenagers were hospitalized as a precaution: some had suffered several consecutive bites. For the moment, their state of health is not worrying.
Unfortunately, the story does not always end so well: thus, on July 22, a Breton sixty-something died after being stung twice by an Asian hornet – the victim, however, had a history of heart disease. According to statistics, the Asian hornet has already caused the death of 4 people in France since 2009. Be careful…
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