Teen boy dies after being stung by box jellyfish
A 17-year-old boy has died after being stung by a box jellyfish in Far North Queensland.
The boy, from Bamaga, was stung on February 22 while fishing on the Cape York Peninsula, Queensland police told Yahoo News Australia.
He was rushed to Townsville Hospital in critical condition, but died on Monday.
Box jellyfish, named for their body shape, have tentacles covered in nematocysts, otherwise known as tiny darts loaded with poison, according to the National Ocean Service.
“People and animals unfortunate enough to be injected with this poison may experience paralysis, cardiac arrest, and even death, all within a few minutes of being stung,” their website reads.
“Of the 50 or so species of box jellyfish, also called sea wasps, only a few have venom that can be lethal to humans.”
Box jellyfish are found in warm coastal areas.
Those with lethal venom are mostly found in northern Australia.
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