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Get out of the sea, grab some hot water, and don't urinate on the wound – that's the safety advice for anyone stung by a Portuguese man o' war after one of the jellyfish-like creatures washed up in St. Ouen.
The sea creature – which looks like a half-deflated balloon and is commonly found in the Caribbean – can deliver a sting lasting up to 20 minutes.
Islanders are being urged to report any sightings to the Environment Department, which has issued the following advice.
• Get out of the water if you're in the sea
• Rinse the area with sea water
• Remove any spines from the skin using tweezers or the edge of something such as a bank card
• Immerse the affected area in hot water (as hot as can be tolerated) or apply a hot pack or hot flannels for at least 30 minutes
• Use local anaesthetic gels or pain relief from a pharmacy or visit your GP if the pain persists beyond a few hours
• Dial 999 should anyone require emergency assistance.
• Use vinegar
• Urinate on the sting (it is a myth that this can ease the pain)
• Apply ice or an ice pack
• Touch spines with your bare hands
• Cover or close the wound.
Although the Portuguese man o' war looks like a jellyfish, it is actually a marine hydrozoan – a class of individually very small, predatory animals.
It cannot propel itself through the water and instead relies on the wind and currents to move it through the sea.
The creature got its fearsome-sounding name because its air sack resembles the triangular sails of the Portuguese caravels of the 15th and 16th centuries.
Islanders are asked to report any sightings to Environment and Consumer Protection on 445808 or email environmentalhealth@gov.je.
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