Swimming ban after deadly irukandji stinger found off Queensland coast
A highly venomous irukandji jellyfish has been caught on the western side of Queensland's Fraser Island, prompting a warning for swimmers to stay out of the water to avoid deadly stings.
The irukandji is a tiny box jellyfish found in Queensland, but they have also been reported in Western Australian and the Northern Territory.
They are tricky to spot because they are small and invisible in the water.
The deadly jellyfish was found in a stinger drag by Surf Life Saving Queensland on Sunday and sent to jellyfish expert Professor Jamie Seymour who confirmed it as an irukandji.
"We're urging everyone to stay out of the water entirely on that western side of the island while conditions are hot and humid," Surf Life Saving Queensland regional manager Craig Holden said on Wednesday.
SLSQ has upgraded its stinger response with daily drags to find the jellyfish after a spate of serious stingers hit the area between late 2016 and early 2017.
There were 10 suspected irukandji stings on the western side of Fraser Island between December 22, 2016, and January 5 last year.
Mr Holden said if a person was stung a triple-0 call should be made immediately and the sting area should be doused with vinegar as soon as possible.
He added that people should take a bottle of vinegar with them if they are heading to the island.
"We don't want to cause widespread panic, but it is really important for people to exercise caution and put safety first at all times."
Anyone stung by an irukandji should be taken straight to hospital. While there is no anti-venom, a strong dose of magnesium can subside the pain.
