A 14-year-old Takaka girl is in a critical condition in Wellington Hospital after being stung by a bee.

Her case was the most serious of a spate of callouts that stretched the Nelson Marlborough rescue helicopter service yesterday and saw four other people admitted to Nelson Hospital.

The girl's bee allergy was known before yesterday's incident.

She went into anaphylactic shock about 6pm after she was stung on the foot just outside Takaka.

Anaphylactic shock can trigger an inflammatory response in a number of different body systems. In worst-case scenarios, it causes cardiac and respiratory arrest.

The girl was treated by St John paramedics and doctors at the Golden Bay Medical Centre before being airlifted by the Nelson Marlborough rescue helicopter to Wellington Hospital, where she required emergency medical care.

St John team manager Jon Leach said the girl's condition was life-threatening.

The rescue service flew four other missions yesterday, in a hectic start to Nelson's long weekend.

A tourist from France was flown to Nelson Hospital yesterday afternoon. He had suffered serious leg injuries after jumping from O'Sullivan's Bridge, south of Murchison on the Buller River.

The man hit the riverbed 15 to 20 metres below. His injuries prevented him being moved from the water's edge.

Murchison Volunteer Fire Brigade chief fire officer Paul Wilkins said firefighters arrived at the scene about 1.20pm.

The man had jumped off the bridge with a group of friends, but was the only one injured.

Mr Wilkins said the tourist was in a lot of pain, and it was difficult to communicate with him due to the language barrier.

An intensive care paramedic on board the rescue helicopter was winched down to the rocks, where he stabilised the injured man and placed him on a stretcher.

The 22-year-old man was airlifted to Nelson Hospital, where he remained in a stable condition today.

Meanwhile, a 29-year-old Nelson woman suffered serious back and pelvic injuries in a rock climbing accident on the sea cliffs near Tata Beach and Tarakohe in Golden Bay yesterday afternoon.

The woman fell after complications with her belay equipment. She was in a stable condition in Nelson Hospital today.

At 8.45am the helicopter was called to Okiwi Bay, where a 2 -year-old Christchurch girl was suffering moderate breathing difficulties. She was airlifted to Nelson Hospital.

The helicopter was also called on at 4.50pm to take a medical crew to Pakawau in Golden Bay, where a 68-year-old man had suffered moderate back injuries after falling from a farm vehicle while collecting hay. He was flown to Nelson Hospital in a stable condition.

The helicopter returned from its emergency flight to Wellington and shut down for the evening shortly before 11pm.

- © Fairfax NZ News

Comments