Hanoi man killed by lesser banded hornet

Dr. Nguyen Thi Canh at the general hospital of Thach That District said Friday the man was stung after poking a beehive.

He passed out after that and entered a coma.

He was diagnosed with the most severe level of septic shock (level 4) and suffered a heart attack, with doctors unable to save him.

On Oct. 1, the hospital also received five men stung by lesser banded hornets after they “played” with wasp nests.

The patients suffered shortness of breath, chest tightness, severe headaches, aside from dizziness and vomiting. The most serious case among them was a 20-year-old with almost 20 stings. He suffered the second level of septic shock.

The hospital saved all five of them and they are now in stable condition.

Dr. Canh said both the lesser banded hornet and hornet are highly toxic.

If one is stung by one, that person should stay calm and quickly escape from the area, she said, warning against types of attempts to chase the wasps away because such behavior only triggers them to attack in droves.