A massive storm in Egypt left three people dead and hundreds more hospitalized from scorpion stings after rainfall and flooding brought scorpions into people's homes.
Per USA Today, the southern province in Egypt experienced downpours, hail and thunder over the weekend in the southern Egyptian city of Aswan, forcing the government to suspend school classes.
The storm brought scorpions out of their hiding places, which led them into people’s houses. A major number of stings ensued, according to USA Today.
- At least 500 people were hospitalized from the scorpion stings.
- All of those hospitalized were discharged after receiving anti-venom doses.
- Per BBC News, three people died from the stings.
The Aswan mountains contain the Arabian fat-tailed scorpion, which is also known as the Androctonus crassicauda (Greek for “man-killer”), per Al Jazeera.
Doctors in Egypt were removed from COVID-19 vaccination efforts to help treat the venom stings, according to BBC News.
- Officials warned people to stay home and to avoid places with many trees so they can avoid the scorpions.
This was a rare event for Aswan area of Egypt, which sees about 1 millimeter of rainfall per year, according to CNN. Massive floods don’t often occur in the area.