Girl, 1, Dies After Being Stung by Scorpion While Playing in Yard

A 1-year-old girl has died after being stung by a deadly scorpion while playing in her yard.

The girl, named Ruth Noemi Páez Giménez, lived in the Canindeyú Department of Paraguay, and was stung on the finger by the scorpion on Friday.

Upon hearing their daughter crying in pain, the girl's parents rushed to help her. Her father saw the scorpion retreating into a hole, local newspaper Última Hora reported.

The girl was rushed to the local Curuguaty District Hospital, and then to Institute of Tropical Medicine (IMT) in Asunción for treatment with scorpion antivenom. Unfortunately, she died from the effects of the sting on Saturday.

"According to what they told me at the hospital, this animal is more poisonous than the snake. We immediately realized what happened because I found the scorpion and killed it. A place was found in Asunción and we got there, but it was too late. She entered treatment, but she died hours later," Óscar Páez, the girl's father, told Última Hora in a translated quote.

Scorpions are arachnids, cousins of the spider, and are found all around the world, usually in tropical and subtropical environments. These creatures are usually equipped with two claws and a large tail tipped with a venomous telson stinger. There are around 2,500 species of scorpions, 30 of which are venomous enough to be responsible for severe injuries and even deaths. Around 1.5 million scorpion stings occur worldwide each year, resulting in about 2,600 fatalities.

The exact species of scorpion that stung the girl is unknown. There are 14 species of scorpion found in Paraguay, many of which belong to the Tityus genus and are venomous. Such scorpions are usually 1.7 to 1.9 inches long, and are responsible for the majority of fatal scorpion-sting cases.

Tityus trivittatus, or the Brazilian red house scorpion, is one such venomous species native to Paraguay and other South American countries. They are usually found underneath stones, rubble, bricks and logs, and have a potent venom in their stinger.

Symptoms of their sting can result in pain, swelling, and heart issues, as well as vomiting and nausea. Younger children and the elderly are most at risk from their venom, although death is rare, and it is usually as a result of pulmonary edema or cardiorespiratory failure.

The nearby country of Brazil is home to the most venomous scorpion in South America, the Brazilian yellow scorpion, or Tityus serrulatus. Between 2000 and 2012, there were nearly 500,000 scorpion sting cases in Brazil alone, resulting in 728 deaths, the majority of which were associated with T. serrulatus.

The Cleveland Clinic advises that, in the case of a scorpion sting, you should clean the sting site with soapy water, and elevate the area to the same level as the heart. If needed, use antihistamines and over-the-counter painkillers, and head to the emergency room if symptoms worsen.

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