Besut: The Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM) in Besut has documented 31 cases of venomous jellyfish stings affecting individuals aged between three and 44 at Pantai Bukit Keluang from May until Thursday.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Capt (CD) Mohd Fazlien Jaafar, the Besut Civil Defence Officer, reported that all victims were beach visitors engaged in swimming activities. In May, there were 23 reported cases of jellyfish stings, with an additional eight cases up to last Friday this month. These statistics are based on individuals who sought initial treatment at the APM Observation Tower on Bukit Keluang Beach.

Mohd Fazlien expressed that it is likely more incidents have occurred but were unreported by affected beachgoers. Victims who approached the APM Observation Tower received immediate care from on-duty personnel, typically experiencing symptoms such as skin redness and pain, especially on the hands.

APM personnel applied a special solution to the affected areas and advised those showing allergic reactions to seek further medical attention at a hospital. The increase in visitor numbers during the holiday season last month contributed to the spike in sting cases.

Mohd Fazlien noted that the presence of jellyfish was first observed last month, with expectations that their numbers will decrease over time. He urged visitors to remain cautious and alert while engaging in water activities to prevent jellyfish stings.