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13th July 2018
11:50am BST
If you're planning to make the most of this warm weather by heading for a swim at the weekend, take heed the latest warning from Dublin City Council.
The local authority has warned that poisonous jellyfish have been sighted at Sandycove Beach and Seapoint, with swimmers advised to avoid the creature if they come across it while in the area.
The Lion's Mane is the largest jellyfish in existence, with "extremely sticky" tentacles that can grow to 6ft.
There have been sightings of the dangerous #lionsmane #jellyfish in the #Sandycove #bathing area. There are warning signs in place. Red flags have been erected to advise the public not to #swim there. pic.twitter.com/TRkLRTns8a
— dlrcc (@dlrcc) July 12, 2018
Those who come into contact with the fish can suffer from blisters, irritation, muscular cramp, impaired respiratory and heart function, and anaphylactic shock.
The creatures have left five people in Co Galway and Co Clare hospitalised, according to Dublin Live.
Jasmine Headlam of NUIG said: “Lion’s mane stings, though not generally considered fatal, can cause a lot of pain.
"Stings from large lion’s mane can be particularly dangerous, as the thousands of thin tentacles can each extend to several meters long.
"Initially, a sting may result in itching or localised pain that may radiate to other areas of the body, potentially progressing to severe pain within 20 minutes or more.
"In some cases, stings can result in symptoms including back pain, nausea, abdominal cramps, sweating and hypertension.”
Research published by NUIG asserts that the best treatment for a Lion's Mane sting is to rinse with vinegar to remove the tentacles and immerse in 45C water for forty minutes.
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