Hong Kong man, 75, hospitalised after getting stung by a bee during hike
An elderly man in Hong Kong has been hospitalised after suffering a bee sting during a group hike along the Shing Mun Forest Track.
The 75-year-old man, surnamed Au, was hiking towards Shing Mun Reservoir with four friends on Friday when the bee stung his ring finger as they reached Needle Hill.
His friends filed a report to police at 2.36pm, with Au taken to Yan Chai Hospital in Tsuen Wan in a conscious state.
Au appeared to be in pain while he was carried out from the ambulance, according to photographs in media reports.
In the event of a bee sting, the stinger should be removed as soon as possible and one should hold tightly onto the shaft to avoid squeezing the venom sac, the Fire Services Department said.
Afterwards, one should rinse the wound with clean water and apply a cold compress to the wound to ease pain and reduce swelling. The department also reminded the public to seek medical help immediately if symptoms worsen.
In August, Lam Kin-wai, 46, a senior field assistant with the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, died after he was reportedly bitten by an insect and injured one of his hands collecting plant specimens in a Hong Kong country park.
The Post learned then that Lam also showed signs of heatstroke.
Last year, two Hong Kong staff members from the same department were stung by bees while working.
Ng Kwok-pui, a 64-year-old field assistant, died while planting trees and another 33-year-old man passed out as he was carrying out slope repair work in Sha Tin.
