News Clippings

Reuters 08-AUG-98

Scorpions Take High Toll in Iran Province

TEHRAN, Scorpions are the fourth major cause of death in Iran's southern province of Khuzestan, the daily newspaper Qods reported on Saturday.

Quoting a report by state veterinary researchers, it said that after respiratory, infectious and digestive diseases, scorpions cause the greatest number of deaths in this humid, oil-rich province.

The report did not give any figures on those killed, but said some 25,000 people were treated for scorpion stings in Khuzestan every year, adding that some 60 different varieties of the deadly insect could be found in Iran.

'Population growth and urban development have brought the residents in closer contact with scorpions' the report added.