A doctor has explained the risks the murder hornet can pose to the human body, amid new sightings of the terrifying creature in the UK.
Fears of a possible invasion have grown since the Asian hornet was discovered in Plymouth last Sunday.
The sightings prompted an official warning for the public to be “on their guard” to help prevent the spread of the species.
Since 2016, there have been a total of 28 sightings in the UK, with five confirmed to have occurred this year. The figure includes a total of 14 nests, all destroyed, according to the government website.
Posting on his TikTok account, Dr. Karan Raj warned of the potential dangers the creature can cause, and how one bite could be fatal to the human body.
A doctor has explained the risks the murder hornet can pose to the human body, as new sightings of the terrifying creature emerge in the UK.
According to Dr. Karan Raj, the bite could be fatal to the human body and could lead to temporary paralysis.
The Asian hornet has a quarter-inch stinger, and according to Dr. Raj: “It can inject a venom called mandarotoxin, which is a neurotoxin and affects the nervous system.”
The doctor explained that this can cause temporary paralysis and loss of feeling where you are stung.
The doctor continued: “It’s also a necrotoxin, which means it can cause cell death, and for someone who is allergic to the venom, it can be lethal.”
He added that those who are allergic to the sting can go into anaphylactic shock which can lead to swelling of the eyes, mouth and throat.
On his TikTok account, the doctor explained that the hornet can inject a poison called mandarotoxin, which is a neurotoxin and affects the nervous system.
For those who are allergic to the venom, the sting could lead to anaphylactic shock that can lead to swelling of the eyes, mouth, and throat.
It can also lead to severe breathing problems and a sudden drop in blood pressure, which could lead to cardiac arrest.
Dr Raj said: “Venom from multiple stings can cause kidney failure, which can eventually lead to multi-organ failure.”
While the Asian hornet hasn’t killed anyone in the UK this year, the killer creature is reported to cause 30 to 50 deaths per year in Japan.
The doctor also highlighted that Asian hornets are a threat to the honey bee population in the UK.
Since being posted, the video has received over 66,000 likes and Dr. Raj has received hundreds of comments from terrified TikTokers.
One user wrote: “Petition to make them go extinct”, another said: “Yiikess”.
Another claimed: “I was bitten by one and couldn’t walk on my right leg for three days.”
This could also lead to severe breathing problems and a sharp drop in blood pressure, which could lead to cardiac arrest or worse, kidney failure.
According to Dr. Raj, if a person who is allergic to the Asian hornet is stung, it could eventually end up in multiple organ failure.
Insect experts have also warned of the threat of murder hornets to bees and are now asking the public to report any sightings.
Asian hornets, which are smaller than native UK hornets, feed on bees and therefore pose a major threat to bee populations.
The experts of DEFRAwarned people not to go near any potential nests because of the dangers posed by black and yellow hornets.
According to Nicola Spencer, Defra’s director of plant and bee health, Asian hornets generally pose no greater threat to humans than native British wasps or hornets, but they do show aggression if their nests are disturbed.
He Museum of Natural History also cautioning that the hornet can inject more venom per sting, he said: “The stinger is long enough to pierce thick protective clothing, such as beekeepers normally wear.”
What makes them more deadly, the website explained, is that they will recruit other hornets and attack as a group.
The quality of the venom that can be injected through multiple stings can be dangerous for young children and people with existing health problems.
