Baby stung by highly poisonous jellyfish
A baby girl has been flown to hospital from a popular Queensland holiday spot after she was stung by an extremely poisonous jellyfish.
A LifeFlight rescue helicopter flown the baby from K’gari -formerly known as Fraser Island – after she was stung while swimming about 3.30pm on Monday.
Authorities believe she was stung by an Irukandji jellyfish.
The helicopter crew landed on a beach on the western side of the island and the aeromedical team worked alongside ambulance paramedics to treat the baby.
She was flown to Hervey Bay Hospital in a stable condition accompanied by a parent.
Two hours earlier, the LifeFlight helicopter was called to the same spot to treat a man suffering from a marine sting.
He was flown to Hervey Bay Hospital for treatment.
It is the third incident in two days after a girl was also flown to Hervey Bay Hospital on Sunday.
The Queensland Ambulance Service warns that Irukandji jellyfish are “small, extremely venomous” species of box jellyfish that are typically no more than 2cm in diameter, which makes them “difficult to notice in water”.
Symptoms of a sting include breathing difficulties, vomiting, shooting pains and severe back or headaches.