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Explainer | How dangerous are bee stings? Hong Kong experts weigh in on recent incidents that resulted in worker’s death and another passing out
- ‘It’s not a bee’s venom that kills, but the body’s reaction to it,’ says Benoit Guenard, associate professor at University of Hong Kong
- The Post reaches out to experts to find out how to guard against bee stings
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![A large number of stings over a short time can trigger a serious physical reaction to the venom. Photo: Shutterstock](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1020x680/public/d8/images/canvas/2023/05/12/be83de0d-9cfd-4293-a73b-80c92f524930_23be689a.jpg?itok=Y5RcLE7r&v=1683905182)
A Hong Kong man died and another one passed out on Friday after both were stung by bees while working.
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Ng Kwok-pui, a 64-year-old field assistant at the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, was planting trees when he was stung four times shortly after 10am. Just four hours later, a 33-year-old man carrying out slope repair work in Sha Tin passed out when he was stung on his hands.
The incidents have highlighted the seriousness of bee stings. The Post reached out to several experts to understand how stings can be fatal and what can be done to guard against them.
1. How does a bee sting kill humans?
“It is not a bee’s venom that kills, but the body’s reaction to it,” said Associate Professor Benoit Guenard, an entomologist at the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Hong Kong.
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