Woman Hospitalized After Being Bitten Multiple Times By Deadly Octopus

An Australian woman in Sydney was hospitalized after falling victim to the deadly blue-ringed octopus.

The woman, in her 30s, was swimming in Chinamans Beach in Sydney when she noticed a shell and picked it up. Unbeknownst to her, the tiny lethal octopus was hiding inside.

News South Wales ambulance responded to the call for help. They shared on Facebook, “Paramedics have treated a woman who was bitten by a deadly blue-ringed octopus in Mosman this afternoon.”

They went on to say, “The woman was swimming and picked up a shell which contained a small blue-ringed octopus. The octopus fell from the shell and bit her twice on the stomach.”

Inspector Christian Holmes said in the post, “A blue-ringed octopus bite is a rare call for us, but they are extremely venomous. The patient was experiencing some abdominal pain around the bite site so paramedics applied pressure and a cold compress before taking her to Royal North Shore hospital to be monitored and treated for further symptoms.”

They added, “The patient was experiencing some abdominal pain around the bite site so paramedics applied pressure and a cold compress before taking her to Royal North Shore hospital to be monitored and treated for further symptoms.”

According to the Natural History Museum, venom from the blue-ringed octopus is 1,000 times more powerful than cyanide.

Unfortunately, the museum notes, “There is no antidote for TTX, and most care is supportive, such as ventilation to keep a patient breathing until the effects of the toxin wear off.”