RSOE EDIS: Trinidad and Tobago - Biological Hazard - 2010.03.31

RSOE Emergency and Disaster Information Service Budapest, Hungary RSOE EDIS ALERTMAIL

2010-03-31 03:32:50 - Biological Hazard - Trinidad and Tobago EDIS CODE: BH-20100331-25534-TTO Date & Time: 2010-03-31 03:32:50 [UTC] Area: Trinidad and Tobago, Ward of Manzanilla, Between Manzanilla and Guayaguayare, Not confirmed information! Description: East Coast tourists and visitors are being warned against the danger of the venomous Portuguese man-o’-war jellyfish washing ashore by the hundreds along beaches stretching between Manzanilla and Guayaguayare. Dozens of bathers were reported stung by the tentacles of the creature last weekend. Conservationist Gupte Lutchmedial said the marine invertebrate, also called the ’blue bottle’, came ashore seasonally. He said if the organism was seen, people should not enter the water. ’Avoid bathing in the water because although they might seem a great distance away from you their tentacles can be up to a yard long.’ Lutchmedial said beach-goers should also walk with vinegar just in case they are stung because using this will help to ease the pain until they can get to a hospital. ’Seek medical attention if stung because it could be bad, especially for children,’ he said. A sting from a man-o’-war jellyfish usually causes severe pain that should subside in about an hour but is likely to leave whip-thin, red welts on the skin that normally stay about two to three days after being stung. However, if the venom travels to the lymph nodes it may cause much more severe pain depending on the amount of venom released. Stings have also been known to cause allergic reactions with serious effects that include fever, shock and interference with heart and lung functions. There have also been rare instances where people have died from the man-o’-war jellyfish. Anyone who is stung by the man-o’-war should also avoid any further contact with the organism and carefully remove any remnants of the creature from the skin (taking care not to touch them directly with fingers or any other part of the skin to avoid secondary stinging). The name of Hazard: Portuguese man-of-war Invasion Species: Animal Status: Confirmed Posted:2010-03-31 03:32:50 [UTC] Please DO NOT reply to this message: replies may be treated as errors and result in your subscription being deleted. If you have trouble or other queries, send email to havaria@rsoe.hu RSOE EDIS is operated by the National Association of Radio-Distress Signalling and Infocommunications (RSOE), Budapest, Hungary. Because of the complexity of this system and its dependence on other systems, we cannot be responsible for delays or failures in forwarding or transmission. You're receiving this AlertMail because you subscribed for the service. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. Contact: havaria@rsoe.hu