Beaches in Spain, and specifically A Coruña, are closed again, although this time not because of sharks. This time the cause was the presence of jellyfish, no, the culprit was not the already famous Portuguese battleship, but a “new” jellyfish: pelagia noctiluca.
It is a type of jellyfish commonly known as “acalefo”, “glow jellyfish”, or “carnation”. As the iO Foundation explains on its website, it is “a translucent species that we see pink” and “can be identified by its small mushroom-shaped bell, the bell-shaped It is dotted with small brown or red spots that look like warts.”
The luminous jellyfish has “eight tentacles on the edge of its umbrella”. The iO Foundation emphasizes that there are 10,000 cnidocytes per centimeter of the tentacles”.
Therefore, the City Council of A Coruña reported this Wednesday through its official Twitter account that the city has decided to ban bathing: “Citizen Security informs to hoist red flags and ban bathing at Orzan, Omatadoro and Santa Beaches . Amaro because of the presence of jellyfish in the water”.
However, at 12.50pm on Thursday, the ban was lifted. However, yellow flags remain on three beaches due to the presence of jellyfish, and the city council of Coruña stressed that “it is recommended to avoid bathing”.
Symptoms of Luminous Fish Bite
The iO Foundation states that symptoms of a luminous jellyfish sting are “painful, intense itching, erythema, and edema in the affected area. There will be erythema and hives wheals, but in some cases ulceration and necrosis may develop.”
“Afterwards, symptoms similar to burns may appear. The distribution of venom throughout the body can cause feelings of tightness in the chest, muscle cramps and even difficulty breathing.
Likewise, they noted that “pictures with distress, irritability, loss of appetite, conjunctivitis, and sometimes headache occur with some frequency. But in general, post-bite symptoms usually subside within a few hours”.
In any case, it must be taken into account that “more rarely, symptoms may be more severe in persons who are particularly sensitive to these bites, such as infants, the elderly, or persons with severe systemic disease. If this occurs, the affected transfer the person to the nearest hospital or health center.