On 13 Sept, State Coroner Adam Nakhoda delivered his findings on the case of 60-year-old Ronnie Ang who died after he was stung to death by hornets.
It is believed that the hornets’ nest may have been attacked by a predator, causing a part of the 12-metre-high nest to fall onto the ground below.
This then agitated the hornets, which have been identified as the typically non-aggressive Vespa affinis.
Source: Wikimedia Commons. Image for illustration purposes only.
When Mr Ang rode past the swarm on his bicycle, the insects became defensive and attacked him.
Furthermore, Mr Nakhoda said the medical care given to Mr Ang was reasonable.
However, he also said the hospital could’ve communicated with Mr Ang’s worried family better. The coroner urged for more timely communication from hospitals to patients’ families, especially during critical events.
Regarding the nest, experts say that it was around five to eight months old, based on its size. Mr Nakhoda said the nest may not have been spotted earlier due to being camouflaged well 12 metres up the tree.
According to the Straits Times (ST), the nest and hornets were destroyed after the attack.
As there are no reliable ways to prevent hornets from building their nests, Mr Nakhoda urged the public to refrain from getting close to nests they spot and to call NParks to report them.
Mr Ang was attacked by the hornets on 4 July 2022. He was cycling in Sembawang in the late morning, according to Channel NewsAsia (CNA).
Source: Google Maps
As he travelled past the Sembawang God of Wealth Temple at around 11.50am, a swarm of hornets attacked him, leading to multiple stings.
He kept cycling until he was clear of the swarm and gave his wife a call. His wife, Madam Oh, told him to go home and she’d take him to the hospital.
But at this point, Mr Ang started to feel giddy and breathless, making him unable to cycle. Madam Oh then called an ambulance to his location and rushed to join him.
Around 12.20pm, Mr Ang was conveyed to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.
Doctors didn’t find allergic reactions from Mr Ang, but kept him under surveillance. The hospital was also told of his existing heart conditions, including a stent that was inserted in 2014.
Blood tests soon showed that Mr Ang was suffering from progressive organ failure. His condition continued to deteriorate until he died at 7am on 7 July 2022.
Also read: 60-year-old man dies after getting stung by hornets while cycling past Sembawang temple
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Featured image adapted from The Gees Travel and Google Maps.
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