A Woman Returning Home From Vacation Was Stung By A Scorpion That Had Snuck Into Her Suitcase
Everyone needs a vacation every once in a while, and what better place to visit than sunny Costa Rica? Tropical regions are popular tourist destinations despite the uncomfortably high humidity levels, terrifying wildlife and the many biting bugs. Unless you have been living under a rock for the past three years, South and Central America, as well as the Caribbean, have recently seen outbreaks of multiple types of mosquito-borne diseases. During the years of 2015 and 2016 most victims of mosquito-borne disease in these regions had contracted the Zika virus, although yellow fever and a few other diseases were by no means uncommon. However mosquitoes are not the only arthropods to fear when visiting a tropical paradise. Some of the most venomous arachnids in the world inhabit regions of South and Central America, and Costa Rica is certainly home to many of these dangerous arachnids. However, as long as tourists are careful, dangerous arachnid encounters are not likely to occur, and at least you know you will be safe from dangerous bugs once you return home. Well, probably safe anyway, as one woman recently sustained a bite from a scorpion that had hitched a ride in her suitcase. The scorpion had traveled with the female tourist from its native home in Costa Rica all the way to southern England.
The female scorpion victim, who has not yet been named by media outlets, was rushed to the hospital after she had sustained the sting. Scorpions do not exist within the United Kingdom, which is why the paramedics who arrived at her home were initially incredulous about the woman’s claims during the emergency call. However, doctors later confirmed that the woman had sustained a scorpion sting, but she was released from the hospital, as the particular species of scorpion that bit her is not dangerous to humans. There exists twenty five different scorpion species in the world that possess venom capable of killing a human. Luckily for the female traveler, none of Costa Rica’s fourteen scorpion species possess venom that is deadly to humans.
Have you or someone you know ever found a non-native insect within a suitcase upon returning home from an exotic location?
