US Man Out Of Coma After Being Stung 20,000 Times By African Killer Bees

A 20-year-old man in the United States nearly lost his life after getting stung 20,000 times by African killer bees. 

Austin Bellamy was trimming a tree last week in Ohio when he unknowingly cut open a bee hive. He accidentally released thousands of African killer bees that quickly swarmed around his head, neck and shoulders, his mother Shawna Carter told Fox19.

"It looked like he had a black blanket on his head down to his neck, down to his arms," she said. 

According to the outlet, Mr Bellamy was trimming branches of an overgrown tree while his grandmother Phyllis Edwards and his uncle watched from the ground. Suddenly, he cut into a nest following which bees flew out. 

Also Read | On Truth Social, Donald Trump Asks "Why Are People So Mean?", Gets Trolled On Twitter: Report

As his uncle and his grandmother were also under attack, they were unable to help the 20-year-old. But he was rushed to the hospital after a firefighter helped him down from the tree. 

Mr Bellamy was airlifted to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, while Ms Phyllis was taken to an area hospital in an ambulance. He was put on a ventilator and placed in a medically-induced coma.

The 20-year-old woke up almost after a week on Wednesday. Doctors expect him to make a full recovery, his family said. 

Ms Bellamy's mother, Shawna Carter, said that her son had been stung more than 20,000 times and had swallowed about 30 bees. She added that the hospital staff had to "suction" bees out of him. "It was just too much for me to take," she said.

Also read | "Nothing Is Impossible": This Specially Abled Schoolboy Shows How

According to Newsweek, an African killer bee is no more dangerous than a regular honey bee. However, if a person is stung more than a dozen times or so, they will start feeling the effects. They may become nauseous. Other symptoms include diarrhoea and vomiting.