A 60-year-old man who was attacked by a cluster of scorpions while cycling past a church along a garden port in Sembawang passed away three days later in a hospital.
A coroner’s court heard on Tuesday ( Mar 5 ) that the insect bites had an impact on his vital organs, starting with the liver and kidneys, and that the increased acidity in his blood had resulted in the failure of further organs.
The judge heard on the first day of the investigation into Mr. Ang’s death that his last cause of death was multi-organ failure as a result of insect attacks and coronary heart disease.
WHAT HAPPENED
The prosecutor was informed that Mr. Ang was cycling along a garden connection in Sembawang on July 4, 2022, in the late morning.
While riding his bicycle, he was struck many occasions by a swarm of hornets as he passed the Sembawang God of Wealth sanctuary somewhere between 11.45 am and 11.55 am.
He informed his family, Madam Oh, that he had been chased and bitten by a hornet flock close to the church.
In the beginning, Mdm Oh called him once several minutes after and inquired where he was simply and told him to come home. She later said she would get him to the doctor before , calling him again and asking him where he was precisely.  ,
Mr. Ang claimed to be biking about seven hours to the church while at the park port in front of Block 467A Admirality Drive.
He claimed that because he had a sore throat and was excited and breathless, he could not pattern home.
Before going down, Mdm Oh called for an ambulance and told her husband to waited for her.
She noticed sting marks on her father when she found him. He claimed that his throat was swollen and that he was hungry after removing his shirt.
He frequently claimed to be breathless and extremely uncomfortable.
Mdm Oh sent a photograph of her husband’s back to her family party talk, which included her daughters.
On July 5, 2022, Mr. Ang was transported to KTPH and placed in the Medical Intensive Care Unit ( MICU).
He was treated for any potential sensitive response even though there were no scientific symptoms.
He was treated for multi-organ failure as a result of stings from unexplained flies at the time.
He was put on ongoing dialysis because he had both kidneys and chronic liver failure.
Nevertheless, his health deteriorated, and he passed away on July 7, 2022.
No external or internal hypotension evidence was found during an examination. No claws were discovered in his system, despite the body’s regular with insect stings.
Mr. Ang, who had a history of hypertension, was discovered to have an enlarged heart.
The authorities did not suspect foul play, according to the investigating officer, who said this was possible a case of escapade.
Investigations found a wasp eggs in a tree branch along the area connector.
Professor Assurance
On the walk, Dr. Lim Chiow Teen, a senior advisor at KTPH who was in charge of Mr. Ang’s admission to the MICU, described how Mr. Ang’s condition had deteriorated.
She explained that her coworkers in the emergency department’s heart and other laboratory tests revealed a worsening pattern, so she and her colleagues decided to patient Mr. Ang in the MICU.
According to KTPH’s criteria for MICU, Dr. Lim said she viewed Mr. Ang as a priority two circumstance, with concern some being for patients who require fast, life-sustaining treatment.
She explained that Mr. Ang’s liver and kidney function checks were failing, and that he may need treatment at the time of his evaluation.
Dr. Lim claimed that the doctor was aware that Mr. Ang had been bitten by bugs but did not know what kind.  ,
She continued, noting that there is neither a certain treatment for hornet stings or insect stings nor a universal treatment for insect poison.
Dr. Lim asked by the express attorney if there was any investigation into how the insect stings led to the organ disappointment. Dr. Lim responded that this is not well understood.
According to her,” In Mr. Ang’s situation, it started with several insect stings followed by a good toxin effect on his vital organs, starting with the liver followed by the liver, and then increased acidity in the blood and failure of the liver and kidney to remain functioning to provide for typical bodily work,” she said.
She explained that the blood’s higher blood acidity inhibited brain function and caused another organs to fail.
Why did the emergency department never conduct toxicology tests and why conjunctivitis shots were not administered, Mr. Ang’s child and widow inquired of Dr. Lim.
Dr. Lim claimed she was not from the crisis department but that she did not believe there was a particular chemistry exam for scorpion stings.
She added that the patient’s method for mosquito scares does not include typhoid pictures.
Mdm Ho claimed that she worked at a clinic and that her doctor may administer typhoid shots for insect bites, but he wondered why the medical did not.
The prosecutor then informed her that Dr. Lim had testified that it was against hospital protocol and that she would have her doctor to provide proof to support her claim.
Professionals from Rajah &, Tann, representing NParks, and Lee &, Lee, representing a Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH) physician who attended the reading.  ,
The investigation continues.
For more details on the scorpions in the area, CNA has contacted NParks.