Horror as deadly blue-ringed octopus bites swimmer off Chinaman Beach in Mosman
Horror as a swimmer is bitten by a deadly blue-ringed octopus that has venom strong enough to kill 20 humans
A woman has been bitten by a deadly blue-ringed octopus on a popular Sydney beach.
The woman, in her 30s, was bitten in the stomach at Chinaman’s Beach in Mosman at around 2:45pm today.
A blue-ringed octopus bite has strong enough venom to kill more than 20 humans despite the fact that the sea creature is small, usually around 8cm long.
The poison, called tetrodotoxin, induces paralysis, slowing the body down to a point where it won’t be able to breathe and won’t get enough oxygen.
There is no antidote for tetrodotoxin, and bite victims can only survive the toxin on a ventilator until its effects wear off.
While serious danger exists, there have only been a handful of confirmed victims of a blue ring bite, as the creatures are more likely to hide in small crevices rather than attack.
more to come