Staying safe this summer

uMhlanga enjoys up to 1,2 million visitors per year and most of them will be here during the summer season. Unfortunately the festive season brings an overbearing load on the local medical services and emergency departments, and there is a drastic increase in the cases of drownings and other environmental emergencies during December and the first week of January.

TIPS FOR WATER SAFETY:

• Never leave children unattended
• Remember, babies can drown in an inch of water
• Keep children at arm’s length of an adult and don’t only rely on lifeguards
• Install fences around pools
• Keep toilet lids closed or locked
• Keep laundry/bathroom doors closed
• Empty bathtubs, containers, kids pools after use
• Teach children how to swim
• In an emergency always call 082911 or 10111

BLUE BOTTLE STINGS:

You are at the highest risk of being stung after or during a strong wind that blows from the sea to the shore.

What should you do if you are stung?

• Carefully remove all tentacles with the tips of your fingers.

Do not scratch or rub the area

• Rinse the remaining tentacles off your skin with seawater

Freshwater could irritate the area

• Place the affected area in water as hot as can be tolerated.

If not relieved, or no hot water is available, consider a cold pack

When to visit the Netcare uMhlanga Emergency Department:

• If the symptoms persist, if the pain is unbearable, or if stings cover a large area or the face and neck
• If you have had a previous allergic reaction to a blue bottle sting
• If your chest is tight, your airway swells or you become lethargic or faint

SEA URCHIN STINGS:

Sea urchins are small, spike-covered sea creatures that live in the ocean. They can be found in shallow water like rock pools, coral reefs, or rocks exposed by the waves.

Symptoms of a sting:

• Immediately painful
• Multiple small puncture wounds
• Blue-blackish puncture sites
• Swelling or redness
• Weakness, muscle aches, shock, fatigue and paralysis

Home treatments:

• Remove the spines using tweezers
• Wash the affected area with soap and water
• Over the counter pain killers

When to visit the Netcare uMhlanga Emergency Department:

• Deep puncture wounds where you cannot remove the spine
• If you experience weakness, muscle aches or paralysis
• The sting site shows signs of infection, such as swelling, warmth, redness and pus

Dr Nicholas Raymond

Advice provided by Dr Nicholas Raymond Principle Clinical Manager, ER Consulting Inc.at Netcare uMhlanga Hospital