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SWIMMERS HAVE BEEN urged to be extra careful when bathing in the sea after one of the most venomous species of jellyfish was spotted in Dublin Bay today.
The photo (above) was taken by a lifeguard who spotted the Lion’s mane jellyfish, one of the largest known species of jellyfish, in the water in Sutton.
Sting
The sighting comes just one day after a young girl was rushed to hospital in Cork after a severe jellyfish sting.
The incident happened in Barely Cove Beach in County Cork. The Goleen unit and the coast guard helicopter 115 were on route to the little girl when an ambulance arrived at the scene.
The Irish Coastguard told TheJournal.ie that the little girl had gone into anaphylactic shock, something they said was quite rare for a jellyfish sting. The young girl was rushed to hospital and treated with an antidote, they said.
The CEO of Irish Water Safety, John Leech, said that although it could not be confirmed that the little girl was stung by a Lions mane jellyfish, today’s sighting shows that it is a real possibility that it could have been the cause.
Dangerous
“The Lions mane jellyfish is as dangerous, if not more so, than the man o’war jellyfish. They both can cause severe anaphylactic shock in people that are stung by them. Four years ago, two people were rushed to hospital after being stung by one of these jellyfish, they are very dangerous,” he said.
Leech said that due to the high temperatures in Irish waters this summer, as well as the
prevailing westerly winds and the north Atlantic current, these potentially dangerous jellyfish are likely to appear on more of our beaches in the coming weeks.
“The Portuguese man o ‘war jelly fish was reported on Bunmahon and Clonea strand in Waterford last Tuesday,” he said.
He urged swimmers to keep and eye out for jellyfish and to only bath in areas that are patrolled by life guards. “Life Guards know what they are looking for and will warn the public if jellyfish are seen in the water,” said Leech.
For a guide to jellyfish commonly seen in Irish waters click here. For tips on first aid treatment after a jellyfish sting click here.
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