Scorpion stings kill 74 in Algeria

A total of 74 people died of scorpion stings in Algeria, out of 50,000 hit persons last year, according to prevention director at Algerian health ministry.

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• “Some 70 percent of the victims were domiciliary hit while 80 percent of them are children,” Mohamed Wahdi said in a seminar on Thursday.
• He believes the lack of hygiene and the construction of shanty towns are behind the phenomenon.
• “People must be sensitized about the healthy culture and respect hygiene standards.
• Wahdi also called for fighting shanty towns and launching campaigns to collect scorpions.
• Southern population is the most exposed to scorpion stings as the insects live in hot conditions.
• The two most common types of scorpion in Algeria are the Buthus accitanus and the Androctonus australis hector.