Sad news today following the death this morning of a 25-year-old resident of Sabinillas after being stung by several wasps in the El Acebuchal area (Tesorillo-Casares). J.R.Q. was with his family, who gave him first aid immediately after the insects stung him. The young man began to feel unwell and, when attended by the health service, the seriousness of his condition was detected. He was taken by ambulance to the Hospital de La Línea, where he died.
According to data from the Spanish Society of Allergology and Clinical Immunology (SEAIC), barely 3% of the population suffers a severe, generalised reaction to a bee or wasp sting. The mortality rate caused by this allergic response is low, at around 0.08 per million inhabitants, which amounts to between 3 and 5 deaths a year in Spain. In recent years, deaths caused by stings from these hymenopterans have increased in the country, with the Cantabrian coast and Galicia the worst-affected areas.
Over the last decade, an invasive species, the Asian hornet (Vespa velutina), has spread strongly in rural areas, including in the Campo de Gibraltar. It has even adapted to urban areas where the native hornet (Vespa crabro) is not usually found. During 2020, the Asian hornet caused the death of three people from anaphylactic shock after being stung, as well as putting ecosystems at risk and affecting the wellbeing of animals and the environment.
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