Bees sting dozens on Av. 27 de Febrero, sending two to the hospital Wednesday morning

At least two people were admitted to the Vicente Corral Moscoso hospital Wednesday morning following an attack by a swarm of bees near the fire station on Av. 27 de Febrero. As many as two dozen people received bites, said firefighters, who set up a triage center at the station.

A nurse treats a beesting victim Wednesday at the #3 fire station on Av. 27 de Febrero.

“From what we understand, a child threw rocks at three large bee hives located behind the Cuenca Rotary Club,” a spokesman for the fire station said. “After that a swarm of bees covered a large area, biting anyone who was nearby.” He said that firefighters were able to pacify the bees with smoke after half an hour.

Several pedestrians in the area received multiple bites when they came to the aid of badly bitten woman who had fallen to the sidewalk on 27 de Febrero. “It was a dangerous situation and it took a while for us to understand what was happening and to respond,” the fireman said. “It appears that at least of one of those sent to the hospital had an allergic reaction while another man succumbed to a large number of bites.”

Av. 27 de Febrero was closed to traffic from the Asunción Bridge to Calle Roberto Crespo for more than an hour as firefighters and police assisted those suffering bites.