More than 2500 stung as bluebottle 'epidemic' hits south-east Queensland
More than 2500 people have been treated for bluebottle stings on Queensland's Gold and Sunshine coasts as the stingers swarm beaches in record numbers.
Almost 1000 people were hurt in a matter of hours on Sunday afternoon, with 476 bluebottle stings treated on the Gold Coast and 461 on the Sunshine Coast.
Some Queensland beaches were closed as hundreds of swimmers were treated for bluebottle stings on Sunday.Credit:Seven News.
Conditions were so bad, lifesavers were forced to close some beaches. Coolangatta beach on the Gold Coast was closed about 2pm, just as Tugun reopened after closing earlier in the day.
Surf Life Saving Queensland duty officer Jeremy Sturges said it was an "epidemic".
"I have never seen anything like this - ever," Mr Sturges said.
"Not everyone reacts the same way but there have been very serious reactions."
Across the weekend, more than 2630 people were stung, with several suffering anaphylactic shock and treated by paramedics.
Unusually strong northeasterly swell conditions pushed the bluebottles onshore, where they were clumped in their thousands along the shoreline.
Mr Sturges warned it was not just swimmers at risk because the jellyfish stranded along the tide lines were still very much alive.
"People have been hurt as they just walk along the shoreline. Don't pick it up, don't walk on it or you will be stung."
Surf Life Saving Queensland urged anyone who was stung to remove the stingers, take a hot shower and apply ice.
One 14-year-old boy's stings were severe enough for paramedics to be called to help treat him.
Earlier in the day, two swimmers were pulled 500 metres out to sea at Noosa's Tea Tree Bay before lifesavers brought them back to safety, according to SLSQ.
AAP