Jellyfish stings in Australia

The Irukandji Jellyfish is tiny, but very venomous.
A signpost warns swimmers of the presence of Chironex fleckeri (box jellyfish)
A signpost warns swimmers of the presence of Chironex fleckeri (box jellyfish)
Stinger Net
Stinger Net

Jellyfish stings in Australia are medically significant, as they can cause intense pain, paralysis and sometimes the death of swimmers with exposed skin. Highly venomous species are found in the tropical north of the country, including the Australian box jellyfish (Chironex fleckeri) and the Irukandji jellyfish (Carukia barnesi and other types). They are believed to have caused at least 69 deaths since record keeping began in the late 1800s.[1][2] Although they are commonly mistaken for jellyfish, bluebottles are actually siphonophores.

Numbers of stings

Irukandji are rarely found outside Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia. Between 1985 and 1997 from cases of Irukandji sting where location was recorded, there were 83.4% in Queensland, 9.1% in the Northern Territory, and 7.5% in Western Australia; 81.5% of cases occurred in the afternoon.[3] In a fourteen-year period there were 660 Irukandji stings in Australia, which were recorded by Dr Fenner, a medical officer with Surf Lifesaving Australia.[4] There were 159 Irukandji stings reported in Broome in a five-year period with 25% of those stung being hospitalised but no recorded deaths.[5] There were 62 people reported being stung by Irukandji in Cairns in 1996; of these more than half occurred in December, 92% were stung on hotter than average days, with 63% occurring while swimming inside a stinger net enclosure on the beach.[6] In summer 2001–02 there were 160 people stung by the middle of February, with around 100 of these in Cairns, and between 10 and 20 in Townsville, the Whitsundays, Great Keppel and Agnes Water.[7]

Northern Territory hospitals report approximately 40 jellyfish stings annually.[8]

List of fatal stings

This is a list of known fatal jellyfish stings that have occurred in Australian territorial waters in reverse chronological order. Newspaper references to the Portuguese man o' war in many of the early incidents are now known to be erroneous. Instead, the Chironex fleckeri is assumed to be the agent responsible in nearly all such events.[9]

21st century

Name AgeYear MonthState or TerritoryLocation; Comments
Unnamed male 14 2022 February Queensland Eimeo Beach, Mackay.
Unnamed male 17 2021 February Queensland Cape York. Patterson Point, near Bamaga.
Unnamed victims 74 and 76 2016 November Queensland Michelmas Cay. Two French tourists died within 10 minutes of each other. Cardiologist hypothesised that they were stung by Irukandji. This was dismissed as speculation by the tour operator.[10]
Unnamed male 6 2007 November Northern Territory [8]
Unnamed female 7 2006 January Queensland Umagico Beach near Bamaga.[11]
Unnamed male 7 2003 March Queensland Wongaling Beach near Cairns,[2] stung on chest and neck. Allegedly the 68th person in Australia known to have died from a chironex fleckeri sting since records began in 1883.[12]
Robert King 44 2002 April Queensland Port Douglas. Irukandji [13][12][14]
Unnamed male 58 2002 January Queensland Hamilton Island, Whitsunday Islands. Irukandji [13][14]
Unnamed male 5 2000 January Queensland Yarrabah, near Cairns[12]

20th century

Name AgeYear MonthState or TerritoryLocation; Comments
Unnamed male 13 1988 April Northern Territory Snake Bay, Melville Island. [15]
Unnamed male 9 1988 February Northern Territory Garden Point, Melville Island. [15]
Unnamed male 5 1987 January Queensland [9]
Unnamed female 6 1985 December Northern Territory Milingimbi, Arnhem Land. [15]
Unnamed female 8 1984 November Northern Territory Elcho Island, Arnhem Land. [15]
Unnamed male 6 1984 January Queensland Lockhart River, 300 km (190 mi) north of Cooktown.[16]
Unnamed male 8 1983 December Northern Territory Milingimbi, Arnhem Land. [15]
Unnamed female 8 1983 April Northern Territory Goulburn Island. [15]
Unnamed male 5 1980 December Queensland Wongaling, near Tully. Animals were observed by victim's older brother.[17]
Unnamed male 6 1980 September Northern Territory Snake Bay, Melville Island. [15]
Unnamed male 6 1979 December Northern Territory Maningrida, Arnhem Land. [15]
Unnamed male 6 1978 January Northern Territory Maningrida, Arnhem Land. [18]
Unnamed female 6 1977 January Northern Territory Snake Bay, Melville Island. [18]
Unnamed female 4 1975 December Northern Territory Yirrkala, Arnhem Land. [18]
Unnamed female 4 1975 February Northern Territory Bathurst Island. [18]
Unnamed male 2 1974 April Northern Territory Melville Island. [18]
Unnamed female 26[17] 1971 November Queensland North Mission Beach. Investigated by Dr J. S. Barnes of Cairns.[19]
Gregory Noel Jarrot 12 1971 January Queensland Seaforth Beach, 40 km (25 mi) north of Mackay.[20]
K.C. 20 1970 December Queensland Forrest Beach. [21]
Unnamed female 8 1970 March Northern Territory Shoal Bay, Darwin. [18]
Unnamed female 7 1967 January Northern Territory Milingimbi, Arnhem Land. [18]
James Woolla 10 1967 January Queensland Aurukun. [21]
Unnamed male 4 1966 January Queensland Half Moon Bay. [21]
Terence Barney 5 1965 January Queensland Mornington Island, Gulf of Carpentaria. Aboriginal boy was pronounced DOA at hospital.[22]
Paul Haritos 6 1964 February Northern Territory Mica Beach, four miles from Darwin. Victim was standing in calf-deep water. Collapsed instantly and died quickly.[23]
Unnamed female 9 1964 January Queensland Palm Cove. Occurred "a few months earlier" than the Paul Haritos incident.[23]
G.C.D 6 1962 December Queensland South Mission Beach. [21]
R.V.B 50 1962 January Queensland Yorkey's Knob. [21]
Unnamed victim 7 1962 January Queensland Thursday Island. [21]
J.R.K 9 1962 January Queensland Bamaga. [21]
P.Y 4 1961 December Northern Territory Maningrida, Liverpool River. [18]
D.N 3 1959 May Northern Territory Maningrida, Liverpool River. [18]
Lynette Mary Starkey 11 1957 December Queensland North Mission Beach, Queensland.[24] Stung on the legs while bathing with other children in shallow water. Collapsed on the beach and died. Weals visible on her legs.[25]
Robert Tennant 10 1957 March Queensland Bluff Beach. [21]
T.W.S 38 1956 December Queensland Pearce Creek. [21]
D. Young 1955 December Northern Territory Myilly Point, Bathurst Island. [18]
Unnamed male 1955 Queensland Cardwell[9] [26]
B. 6 1955 Northern Territory Rose River. [18]
S.W. 4 1954 December Northern Territory Snake Bay, Melville Island. [18]
Clarke William Currow 8 1954 February Northern Territory Darwin, close to Larrakeyah army barracks, three yards from shore.[27][28] Died a few minutes after being stung.[29][30]
James Ernest Lane 33 1953 July Queensland Saltwater Creek, Townsville.[9][31][32][33] Victim experienced severe pain, paralysis and frothing at the mouth.[34]
Unnamed victim 1951 Queensland Kissing Point Baths, Townsville[9]
Wojcik Czestaw 31 1950 Northern Territory Mindil Beach, Darwin.[35] Died within minutes of being stung. Specimen was collected and identified by Frank McNeill, curator of invertebrates at the Australian Museum. Victim's name was also reported as Wokeik (rather than Wojcik).[36]
Brian Andrew McNamara 10 1949 December Queensland North Mission Beach near Tully.[9][37][38][39][24]
D. Young 1947 December Queensland Appel Channel, Mornington Island. [18]
Unnamed male Ca. 20 1944 January Northern Territory Victim was a serviceman.[40]
W.J.H 21 1943 March Queensland South Mission Beach. [21]
Robert Ernest Day 8 1941 December Queensland Rowe's Bay, Townsville.[41] Boy died en route to hospital.[41]
Unnamed male Ca. 20 1941 April Northern Territory Darwin. [21]
J.C. 13 1941 January Queensland Townsville. [21]
Patrick Paull 3 1/2 1939 December Queensland Horseshoe Bay.[9][42]
Ruth Hamilton 5 1939 February Queensland Googarra Beach. [21]
Thomas "Tommy" Frederick Chandler 11 1938 March Northern Territory Lameroo Beach, Darwin. Government baths. Stung on chest, body and face.[43] Jellyfish specimen was collected for analysis.[44] Victim's name was also reported as Robert Chandler.[45] Chandler died 15–20 minutes after being stung.[46] A boy called Bennie Babun who went to his rescue was also stung and hospitalised.[47] Others stung during prior fortnight were treated with morphine.[48]
David William Taylor 19 1937 Queensland Bramston Beach near Babinda, Cairns.[9] Stung while in waist-deep water. Assisted from the water by George Giffin but collapsed and died thereafter.[49]
Salvatore Cantarella 1934 Queensland Googarra Beach, near Tully.[9][50][51][52] Marks on right leg and left foot. Believed to have died of shock and heart failure after the sting. Post-mortem conducted by Dr. A. R. Townsend.[53]
Maurice Woods 7 1930 January Queensland Magnetic Island, near Townsville.[54]
"Mr. Mann" 1923 February Queensland Proserpine[9][55][56]
Charles Trenaman 15 1916 March Queensland Rowes Bay, near Townsville[57] Stung on neck, body, shoulder and legs. Died about 10 minutes later from "nerve shock from pain".[57]
Albert George 11 1911 May Queensland Cannon Valley beach, Pioneer Bay, near Mackay.[58][59][60] Arms attached to the boy's belly, torso and arms. Victim lost consciousness and died within half an hour.[61] Open bathing at this location was prohibited after this second death within 6 months.[62]
F.L. Gould 12 1910 December Queensland Occurred during Christmas holiday period. Cannon Valley beach, Pioneer Bay, near Mackay.[60]

19th century

Name AgeYear MonthState or TerritoryLocation; Comments
Fred Harwood 14 1892 November Northern Territory Sea baths, Darwin[63][64]
C.E.K 6 1885 January Queensland Strand, Townsville [65][21]
Frederick William Smith 11 1884 December Queensland Ross Creek, Townsville[66][9]
Peter Clarke 8 1878 December Queensland Cleveland Bay, Townsville. Victim had livid marks on legs. Fell unconscious about a minute after being carried out of the water and was dead within ten minutes.[67]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Chironex fleckeri (Box Jellyfish) Archived 9 July 2016 at the Wayback Machine NT Dept. of health and community services
  2. 1 2 Boy's death from box jellyfish 'avoidable', says expert SMH, 24 March 2003
  3. ↑ Irukandji stings 1985/97 Marine Medic
  4. ↑ Australian Jellyfish Archived 25 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine Port Douglas
  5. ↑ Irukandji At Broome Beaches Kimberley Australia travel guide
  6. ↑ A year's experience of Irukandji envenomation in far north Queensland Medical Journal of Australia, Mark Little and Richard F Mulcahy
  7. ↑ Stinging Jellyfish in tropical Australia Archived 19 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine Reef Research Centre
  8. 1 2 Government, Northern Territory (12 May 2016). "Jellyfish". nt.gov.au. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Venomous and poisonous marine animals: a medical and biological handbook 1996 p. 42 By John A. Williamson, Joseph W. Burnett, Peter J. Fenner, Jacqueline F. Rifkin
  10. ↑ "French tourists likely to have been stung by Irukandji jellyfish: cardiologist". ABC News. 17 November 2016. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  11. ↑ Lifesavers sound warning after jellyfish death ABC News, Lifesavers sound warning after jellyfish death
  12. 1 2 3 "Boy dies from box jelly fish sting - theage.com.au". www.theage.com.au. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  13. 1 2 "What You Need to Know About the Potentially Fatal Irukandji Jellyfish". TripSavvy. Archived from the original on 18 August 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  14. 1 2 "Toxic shock from stinger family". www.abc.net.au. 15 October 2002. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Venomous and poisonous marine animals: a medical and biological handbook 1996 p. 72 By John A. Williamson, Joseph W. Burnett, Peter J. Fenner, Jacqueline F. Rifkin
  16. ↑ "Jellyfish kills boy". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926–1995). 1 February 1984. p. 13. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  17. 1 2 "Marine stinger kills boy". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926–1995). 19 December 1980. p. 7. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Venomous and poisonous marine animals: a medical and biological handbook 1996 p. 71 By John A. Williamson, Joseph W. Burnett, Peter J. Fenner, Jacqueline F. Rifkin
  19. ↑ "Fatal sting". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926–1995). 22 November 1971. p. 3. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  20. ↑ "Boy dies of jellyfish stings". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926–1995). 2 January 1971. p. 3. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Venomous and poisonous marine animals: a medical and biological handbook 1996 p. 70 By John A. Williamson, Joseph W. Burnett, Peter J. Fenner, Jacqueline F. Rifkin
  22. ↑ "Sting kills Aborigine". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926–1995). 19 January 1965. p. 17. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  23. 1 2 "Boy Killed By Sea Wasp". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926–1995). 24 February 1964. p. 3. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  24. 1 2 "Shock Was Cause of Boy's Death". Daily Mercury (Mackay, Qld. : 1906–1954). 21 December 1949. p. 1. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  25. ↑ "Child Dies From Stings in Surf". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926–1995). 14 December 1957. p. 1. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  26. ↑ "Killer Sea Wasps Identified At [?]bane Museum". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926–1995). 18 December 1956. p. 3. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  27. ↑ "JELLYFISH KILLS BOY". Daily Mercury (Mackay, Qld. : 1906–1954). 1 March 1954. p. 1. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  28. ↑ "JELLYFISH KILLED BOY". Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW : 1888–1954). 2 March 1954. p. 8. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  29. ↑ "YOUTH DIED FROM JELLYFISH STING". Maryborough Chronicle (Qld. : 1947–1954). 1 March 1954. p. 3. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  30. ↑ "DARWIN BOY DIES". Goulburn Evening Post (NSW : 1940–1954). 1 March 1954. p. 6. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  31. ↑ "Killed By Jellyfish". West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879–1954). 22 July 1953. p. 8. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  32. ↑ "JELLYFISH KILLS MAN". Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869–1954). 22 July 1953. p. 71. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  33. ↑ "JELLY FISH KILLED MAN". Macleay Argus (Kempsey, NSW : 1885 - 1907; 1909 - 1910; 1912 - 1913; 1915 - 1916; 1918–1954). 27 July 1953. p. 5. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  34. ↑ "MYSTERY STING CAUSES DEATH". Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1933–1954). 28 May 1953. p. 1. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  35. ↑ "MIGRANT DIES FROM STING BY JELLYFISH". Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869–1954). 6 December 1950. p. 4. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  36. ↑ "FATAL JELLYFISH WAS SEA WASP". Illawarra Daily Mercury (Wollongong, NSW : 1950–1954). 5 December 1950. p. 2. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  37. ↑ "FATAL STING BY JELLYFISH". National Advocate (Bathurst, NSW : 1889–1954). 20 December 1949. p. 1. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  38. ↑ "MONSTER JELLYFISH KILLS BOY". Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848–1957). 20 December 1949. p. 5. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  39. ↑ "JELLYFISH STINGS BOY TO DEATH". Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869–1954). 21 December 1949. p. 6. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  40. ↑ "It Was Sea Wasp That Killed N.T. Soldier". Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861–1954). 22 January 1944. p. 3. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  41. 1 2 "JELLYFISH KILLS BOY". Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1933–1954). 8 December 1941. p. 3. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  42. ↑ "POISONED BY JELLYFISH". News (Adelaide, SA : 1923–1954). 21 December 1939. p. 2. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  43. ↑ "JELLYFISH STING KILLS BOY". Labor Daily (Sydney, NSW : 1924–1938). 14 March 1938. p. 5. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  44. ↑ "Stung By Huge Jellyfish, Half-Caste Boy Dies". Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931–1954). 14 March 1938. p. 7. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  45. ↑ "SWIMMER DIES". Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876–1954). 14 March 1938. p. 9. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  46. ↑ "Fatal Jellyfish Sting". Truth (Sydney, NSW : 1894–1954). 13 March 1938. p. 19. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  47. ↑ "JELLYFISH STING KILLS HALF-CASTE". Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1931–1954). 14 March 1938. p. 7. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  48. ↑ "Boy Killed By Jellyfish". Mail (Adelaide, SA : 1912–1954). 12 March 1938. p. 9. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  49. ↑ "Bather's Death From Sting of Jellyfish". Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931–1954). 22 January 1937. p. 26. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  50. ↑ "STUNG BY JELLYFISH". Northern Standard (Darwin, NT : 1921–1955). 28 December 1934. p. 14. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  51. ↑ "STUNG BY JELLYFISH". Recorder (Port Pirie, SA : 1919–1954). 28 December 1934. p. 1. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  52. ↑ "DIED IN AGONY". Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869–1954). 5 January 1935. p. 22. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  53. ↑ "MAN KILLED BY JELLY FISH". Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854–1954). 10 January 1935. p. 13. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  54. ↑ "STUNG BY JELLYFISH". Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854–1954). 15 January 1930. p. 10. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  55. ↑ "BREVITIES". Illawarra Mercury (Wollongong, NSW : 1856 - 1950). 2 February 1923. p. 8. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  56. ↑ "Advertising". Tweed Daily (Murwillumbah, NSW : 1914 - 1949). 17 January 1923. p. 3. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  57. 1 2 "BOY KILLED BY JELLY -FISH". Daily Mercury (Mackay, Qld. : 1906–1954). 8 March 1916. p. 8. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  58. ↑ A Lad's death, stung by a jellyfish The Mercury, 6 May 1911
  59. ↑ "JELLYFISH STINGS". Sun (Sydney, NSW : 1910–1954). 6 May 1911. p. 3. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  60. 1 2 "DEADLY JELLY-FISH". Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864–1946). 13 May 1911. p. 39. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  61. ↑ "STUNG BY A JELLY-FISH". Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842–1954). 6 May 1911. p. 13. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  62. ↑ "FATALtTIES FROM JELLYFISH STINGS". Evening Telegraph (Charters Towers, Qld. : 1901–1921). 12 May 1911. p. 5. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  63. ↑ "DEATH FROM THE STING OF A JELLYFISH". Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1883–1930). 21 November 1892. p. 5. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  64. ↑ "SUDDEN DEATH AT PORT DARWIN". Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889–1931). 21 November 1892. p. 5. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  65. ↑ "TOWNSVILLE". The Capricornian (Rockhampton, Qld : 1875 - 1929). 24 January 1885. p. 4. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  66. ↑ "ITEMS OF NEWS". Mount Alexander Mail (Vic. : 1854 - 1917). 16 January 1885. p. 2. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  67. ↑ "Melbourne". The Brisbane Courier (Qld : 1864 - 1933). 21 January 1879. p. 3. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
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