A man tragically lost his life after being stung by hornets while cycling along the Sembawang Park Connector
The man was cycling past the Sembawang God of Wealth temple when he was attacked by a swarm of hornets emerging from a nest in a tree. The attack left him feeling dizzy and breathless.
A 60-year-old man, who was attacked by a swarm of hornets while cycling past a temple along a park connector in Sembawang, succumbed to the insect bites three days later in the hospital. The venom from the hornet stings affected his vital organs, starting with the liver and kidneys. The increased acidity in his blood subsequently led to the failure of additional organs, as revealed in the coroner’s court on Tuesday.
On the first day of the inquiry into the death of Mr. Ronnie Ang, it was revealed that his ultimate cause of death was multi-organ failure resulting from insect attacks and ischaemic heart disease.
WHAT HAPPENED
On the late morning of July 4, 2022, Mr. Ronnie Ang was cycling along a park connector in Sembawang when he encountered a swarm of hornets near the Sembawang God of Wealth temple. Between 11:45 am and 11:55 am, he was stung multiple times while riding his bicycle. After the incident, he called his wife, Madam Oh, informing her about the hornet attack. Initially, she advised him to go home, assuring him she would take him to the doctor. However, after several minutes, she called again, asking for his precise location.
Mr. Ang informed his wife that he was at the park connector in front of Block 467A Admiralty Drive, approximately seven minutes away from the temple by bicycle. Despite feeling giddy, breathless, and having a sore throat, he was unable to cycle home. Concerned for his well-being, Madam Oh instructed him to wait for her and promptly called for an ambulance. Upon arriving at the scene, she observed multiple sting marks on her husband. He had removed his shirt, expressing thirst and revealing a swollen throat. Mr. Ang reiterated his discomfort, emphasizing breathlessness.
Madam Oh captured an image of her husband’s back, sharing it with her daughters in the family group chat. Subsequently, Mr. Ang was admitted to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH) and placed in the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) on the morning of July 5, 2022. While there were no clinical signs of an allergic reaction, he received treatment for potential allergic responses. The medical team addressed multi-organ failure resulting from unidentified insect stings at that time. Acute liver failure ensued, accompanied by kidney failure, leading to the necessity of continuous dialysis.
Despite medical efforts, Mr. Ang’s condition worsened, and he passed away on the morning of July 7, 2022. An autopsy revealed no external or internal signs of anaphylaxis. Lesions consistent with insect stings were identified on his body, although no stingers were found lodged in his body. Mr. Ang, who had a history of hypertension, was discovered to have an enlarged heart. The investigating officer stated that there were no suspicions of foul play, attributing the incident to misadventure. Investigations revealed the presence of a hornet nest in the branches of a tree along the park connector.
DOCTOR’S EVIDENCE
Dr. Lim Chiow Teen, a senior consultant at KTPH, testified about Mr. Ang’s deteriorating condition during his stay in the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU). Dr. Lim explained that blood and laboratory tests indicated a worsening trend, prompting Mr. Ang’s admission to the MICU. She categorized him as a priority two case, considering the hospital’s criteria for MICU admissions. Dr. Lim highlighted the worsening liver and kidney function tests, suggesting potential dialysis need. While the hospital knew about the insect stings, the specific type was unknown.
Dr. Lim clarified that there is no specific antidote for hornet stings, and the mechanism of organ failure due to insect stings is not well understood. She detailed Mr. Ang’s case, where multiple insect stings led to a likely toxin effect on vital organs, starting with the liver and kidneys. Increased blood acidity followed, causing heart suppression and organ failure.
During the inquiry, Mr. Ang’s daughter and widow questioned Dr. Lim about toxicology tests and tetanus shots. Dr. Lim noted that specific toxicology tests for hornet stings were not available, and tetanus shots were not part of the hospital’s protocol for insect stings.
The hearing included lawyers from Lee & Lee representing a KTPH doctor and lawyers from Rajah & Tann representing NParks.
