A spate of hornet attacks in southern Shaanxi province has resulted in 28 deaths and hundreds of injuries, a local newspaper reported.
The thumb-sized hornets, known as Asian giant hornets or Vespa mandarinia, are known for their highly toxic stings. Multiple stings may be fatal to humans without immediate medical treatment.
One patient being treated in an Ankang hospital suffered acute renal failure after hornets stung him on the head and legs, the report said. He claimed the hornets chased him over a distance of more than 200 metres.
A 55-year old woman from the same village told the newspaper that she was stung more than 200 times. She had been hospitalised for almost a month and was still incontinent, the report said.
“Patients with more than 10 hornet stings should seek medical attention. Those with more than 30 stings need immediate emergency treatment,” a director of Ankang Disease Control Centre told the newspaper.