Frequent 'Bee Stings' During Chuseok Holiday... "Remove Bee Stings with Credit Card"

Avoid Perfume When Wearing Bright Long-Sleeved Clothes

Every year during the Chuseok holiday period, bee sting accidents frequently occur. Especially this year, with the prolonged heatwave, there is an increased risk of bee stings during the grass-cutting season, so it is necessary to learn emergency response measures.

According to the Fire Department's ambulance activity statistics on the 17th, over the past five years (2017?2023), the number of emergency transports due to bee sting accidents during the Chuseok holiday period reached 1,445. Among them, there were 3 cases of cardiac arrest.

Patients admitted to the emergency room due to bee stings are at risk of death. Since outdoor activities such as grass-cutting and visiting ancestral graves increase during Chuseok, caution is needed when going to mountains or forests where beehives may be present.

To prevent bee stings, avoid scented items such as perfumes or cosmetics. Bees tend to show aggression toward dark-colored clothing, so it is better to wear light-colored clothes. Wearing long clothes that reduce skin exposure is recommended. If you accidentally disturb a beehive during outdoor activities, cover your head and lower your body, then quickly evacuate to a place at least 20 meters away.

If stung by a bee, prompt removal of the stinger is necessary. The most appropriate method is to gently scrape the stung area with a credit card or similar object to remove the stinger. Removing the stinger with clean hands or tweezers is dangerous because pressure on the stinger can cause remaining venom to be absorbed into the body. The stung area should be washed with clean water, disinfected, and then cooled with an ice pack or similar cold compress.

Bee stings can cause pain, swelling, itching, as well as symptoms such as vomiting, cold sweat, and headache. Depending on the person, anaphylaxis (allergic hypersensitivity reaction) may occur. If symptoms such as swelling of the lips, tongue, or uvula, hives, chest tightness, or loss of consciousness appear, immediately call 119.