By Kim Bo-eun
An eight-year-old girl died after being stung by a jellyfish while paddling at an Incheon beach, police said Saturday.
The girl was stung on her hands and legs while playing in the sea at Eulwangri Beach at around 11:30 a.m. She was immediately taken to a nearby hospital and received treatment for four and a half hours but doctors were unable to save her, police said.
The girl’s mother said she called the 119 emergency center after her daughter was stung by the jellyfish.
Such deaths are rare in Korea, although police have issued warnings at beaches nationwide after more jellyfish have been found due to a rise of ocean temperatures.
“A jellyfish sting causes pain, red spots and a sometimes a fever and muscle paralysis. If the person does not receive immediate first-aid treatment it can lead to difficulty in breathing,” said an official at the Incheon Fire and Safety Management Department.