A swarm of bees killed a grandfather as he sat on his porch in Kentucky
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- A Kentucky man was killed by a swarm of bees on his front porch.
- The swarm burst from inside a bag of potting soil he was handling.
- The grandfather was stung between 15 and 20 times before dying of respiratory failure.
A 59-year-old Kentucky man died after a bee swarm burst out of a bag of potting soil he was handling and attacked him on his porch, said the Harlan County Coroner's Office.
Despite immediate CPR efforts by his family and first responders, Michael Alford could not be saved and died from respiratory failure caused by bee stings, according to John W. Jones, Harlan's Deputy Coroner, in a Facebook statement.
The man was stung by the swarm of yellow jackets and bees between fifteen to twenty times, NBC reported. According to the coroner's report, he had underlying health issues likely worsened by the bee stings.
Alford, a former gas station manager, was survived by a wife, three children, and 11 grandchildren, said his obituary.
What happens when a bee stings you?
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Bee stings, though usually non-fatal, can have severe consequences. Usually, a sting leaves a red welt and some temporary discomfort. However, it can be more dangerous for people with allergies and other preexisting conditions.
Bee stings contain venom that can cause a severe reaction and lead to potentially lethal anaphylactic shock, according to the National Library of medicine.
Between 2011 and 2021, there were 788 deaths attributed to hornet, wasp, and bee stings in the US, with an average of 72 fatalities annually, primarily affecting men, said the CDC,
In May, an Arizona mother was stung over 75 times by bees during a family photo shoot with her children and was hospitalized, while in 2020, 40,000 bees attacked five people in California.
For those stung by bees, the CDC recommends washing the affected area with soap and water, gently removing the stinger with gauze or a fingernail, and applying ice to reduce swelling. These measures can help mitigate the effects of bee stings.