A woman in her 30s was sent to Tan Tock Seng Hospital yesterday morning after falling victim to an attack by a swarm of bees in Ang Mo Kio Garden West. It’s unclear if it was an unprovoked attack.
Bees aren’t a common sight in Singapore’s urban areas. But if you see one, you can be sure that:
- A hive is located somewhere nearby
- You’re gonna need to run ASAP if you come across an aggressive swarm
PSA: Just don’t fuck with bees.
Shin Min Daily News reported that 34-year old Cai Shanshan was one of the few bystanders unable to directly help the poor victim — who was unfortunately dressed in a sleeveless top and shorts — during the bee attack.
According to Cai, the swarm went at it for approximately 10 minutes.
“Both her legs were stretched out, she used her hands to cover her face, and her whole body was convulsing,” Cai said to Shin Min Daily News.
The victim was soon rescued when an ambulance arrived. A Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officer clad in protective gear grabbed the woman and took her conscious to Tan Tock Seng Hospital in the ambulance.
The aftermath of the attack saw the police cordoning off an area the size of half a football field where the swarm was located. Not much else is known about what happened next, but it’d be a logical step for the authorities to exterminate the stinging buggers.
Tips to survive bee, hornet or wasp attacks — run the hell away as fast as you can until you reach a shelter (like a vehicle or a building); don’t swat at bees (movement attracts them, dead bees attract them even more); shield your face, mouth and eyes; don’t jump into water like in cartoons, because they will wait for you to surface.
