A stark warning has been issued to beachgoers in Spain after a staggering 7,500 people required hospital treatment due to a surge of jellyfish, including the notorious Portuguese man o'war. The north-east coast of Spain, particularly Catalonia, has been severely affected, with rising sea temperatures being held responsible. Since May this year, nearly 7,500 individuals on the Catalan coast have sought medical help for jellyfish stings, marking a significant 41 per cent increase from last year.
Experts warn that the stings can be extremely painful and potentially harmful, especially for those with compromised immunity. MedusApp, a citizen science mobile application designed to allow the public to log sightings and stings, has reported hundreds of incidents daily throughout the summer. The app provides a real-time updated map to aid individuals in avoiding beaches heavily populated with jellyfish.
Earlier this month, almost 100 tourists and holidaymakers were treated for jellyfish stings at Playa de Victoria in Cadiz on the Costa de la Luz. City Council was compelled to hoist a specially-designated jellyfish warning flag twice, both at Playa de Victoria and Santa Maria del Mar. These flags serve as an alert for swimmers about the presence of jellyfish in the water.
The majority of jellyfish along the Catalan coast are the relatively harmless fried egg and barrel varieties. July saw two beaches in Tarragona, southern Catalonia, closed after Portuguese man o'war posed a danger to.