A Boholana who was on vacation in Cebu died after she was stung by a jellyfish in Sante Fe at the island of Bantayan in Cebu on Sunday afternoon.
Staff Sgt. Richie Gapo of the Sante Fe Municipal Police Station said Leslie Madronero, 32, of Barangay Poblacion in Valencia, Bohol, had been swimming at a public beach for 10 minutes when she got stung.
“Naglangoy-langoy ra sila kadyot unya mao na to, nakabantay na dayon tong namatay na naay ni sag-id niya unya nangatol dayon iyang bukton,” said Gapo.
A few minutes after getting stung, Madronero complained of difficulty in breathing prompting her companions to carry her out of the water.
Several others were swimming in the public beach but only Madronero was stung.
“Kadtong kauban adtong mga naligo nakakita sila na ang jellyfish na camofluage sa tubig ni uyon ra sa color sa environment,” said Gapo.
An ambulance was deployed to the area and rushed Madronero to a nearby hospital but she was declared dead on arrival.
Gapo noted that jellyfishes are frequently seen in the area during this time of the year but it was the first recorded fatal jellyfish sting in recent years.
“Karong panahona g’yud nuon daghan kaayong mga bokya. Bisan diri sa police station daghan gyud makita nimo og mo suroy ka sa baybayon,” Gapo added.
In a statement, Sta Fe. Mayor Ithamar Espinosa urged residents and visitors to be wary of box jellyfishes whose sting can pose serious health risk to humans.
“The safety of our residents and visitors is of utmost importance to us. Box jellyfish can be dangerous. We reiterate our remidner to everyon to remain vigilant and follow safety guidelines while engaging in water activities and swimming,” Espinosa said.
The mayor also expressed sympathy and condolences to the family of Madronero.
Madronero was in the middle of a vacation with three of her workmates at an insurance company in Taguig City.
She was supposed to also take her workmates from Manila to her hometown in Valenci, Bohol for a side trip.
Her remains have been transported to Bohol and have been turned over to her family. (A. Doydora)