On July 3rd, Richard L. Moretz of Medford passed away, his wife tells us he suffered a severe allergic reaction after being stung by a wasp.
Doctor Phillip Bevot of the Aspirus Medical Education Center said that this kind of death is very rare. "On average about 40 people die a year from bee stings, now if you put that in perspective 90 people die from lightning strikes, and 116 people die each day from driving a car. So you're much more likely to die driving to work or being struck by lightning than a bee sting," he said.
He said even if you have been stung by a bee or wasp before you could have a worse reaction than before. "The best thing to tell people who haven't had a reaction or don't know they're allergic, watch for any symptoms that affect their whole body. If you get stung you will have local pain and swelling, if you start to have hives, shortness of breath, or feel faint, those show it is more than a local reaction it is systematic and you should get help right away."
If you know you have an allergy your doctor can prescribe you something called an epi-pen that delivers a shot of adrenaline to prevent a severe allergic reaction. Doctor Bevot said that even if you are stung, suffer an allergic reaction ,and use an epi-pen it is only designed to give you enough time to get to a hospital. It is still recommended to see a doctor as soon as possible because you might need further medical attention.
For those who do suffer from an allergy to bees or wasps immunization shots are available. The shots can vary by individual and may need to be done as often as every week for several years.