5 taken to hospital after getting stung by bees at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

As he was leaving Sunglei Buloh Wetland Reserve after a walk last Sunday (July 14), a man was surprised to see four ambulances parked outside. 

"I thought someone had fainted, but when I got closer, I saw several people seated in a row on stools and some were applying ice packs to their heads," wrote the man surnamed Gu on Xiaohongshu. 

The 42-year-old engineer spoke to a relative of one of the injured people, who told him the group had been stung by bees. 

"It was a bit scary because we just walked out [of the reserve], but fortunately, we didn't encounter any bees," he wrote. 

Gu told Lianhe Zaobao that the people who were hurt did not know one another and some appeared to be migrant workers. There were also children in the group, he added. 

In response to AsiaOne's queries, the Singapore Civil Defence Force said they received a call for assistance at 301 Neo Tiew Crescent at about 4.55pm on Sunday. 

Four people were taken to Woodlands Health Campus and one to KK Women's and Children's Hospital.

Keep away from bee hives: NParks 

Members of the public who come across a bee hive should keep their distance and refrain from disturbing it, said NParks in an advisory.

Those who have been stung by a bee should scrape the stinger out using the edge of a card, and not pull it out as that may accidentally release more venom into the skin. 

The wound should be washed with soap and water, and then cooled with an ice pack. 

People should also seek medical attention if allergic reactions occur, or if they have been stung multiple times. 

READ ALSO: 'His whole face was red and swollen': 3 taken to hospital after getting stung by bees at East Coast condo

claudiatan@asiaone.com