Four more people were sent to a hospital for treatment on Monday after being stung by hornets in New Taipei City’s Rueifang District (瑞芳), less than a week after two people died from hornet stings in the same area.
The Keelung Fire Department said it received a call at 10:46am regarding five people who were stung by hornets while hiking in Rueifang District.
All five were able to walk to an area near Tianwaitian Cemetery (天外天墓園) on the border between New Taipei City and Keelung to meet with emergency responders at about 11am, it said.
Photo courtesy of the Yushan National Park Administration
One of the hikers only sustained minor injuries and returned home, while the other four — three women and a man all aged about 60 — were taken to Keelung Hospital, it said, adding that one was stung more than 20 times.
One of the injured went into anaphylactic shock, but was stabilized after receiving medication, doctors said.
Another of the injured hikers said they spotted the nest on the ground and tried to pass by carefully, but were rapidly swarmed, despite having prepared insect repellant.
The incident comes five days after two people were killed and nine injured by hornets while hiking along the Bafenliao Hiking Trail (八分寮) in Rueifang District.
After that incident, officials cautioned hikers against wearing dark and short-sleeved clothing, wearing perfume and straying from established trails, as it is peak season for hornet activity.
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