Phu Quoc resort spider sends man to clinic

The man was taken to the S.O.S clinic on Phu Quoc for treatment, bringing with him the mysterious spider, which spanned 4 cm in body length and 13 cm with limbs included, for identification purposes.

Doan Thanh Hien, head of the internal medicine department at the clinic, said on Friday that the bite was venomous, but as the clinic does not keep antidotes for spider venom, treatments aimed to relieve the symptoms instead.

The patient’s wound was disinfected, and drug injections were used to prevent the venom from spreading further. Other drugs were also given to combat inflammation, swelling and pain. After two hours, when his symptoms subsided, the patient was allowed to go home.

Hien said the spider that bit the man was the largest he had ever seen. Its body was covered with hair, and its species has yet to be identified. The electrician said the spider hid in a dark corner, and suddenly bit him while he was fixing electrical systems.

The patient was the second to be treated at the clinic for spider bites during this year’s rainy season so far. Hien said spider venom can sting like a bee and that people should take caution when going out during the rainy season, wearing protective gear like boots to prevent snakes, spiders and insects from biting.