Eight individuals fall sick after eating wasps

By Yadu Prasad Bhatta, Manang, Aug. 4: Eight individuals got severely sick in Ward No. 2 of Narpa Bhumi Rural Municipality of Manang district after eating wasps.

According to officials, they had consumed fried wasps in a hotel. Ramsari Budha, the 47-year-old hotelier, too got sick.

Other seven are said to be daily wage workers from Gorkha, Dhading, Udayapur and Rolpa districts. They have been identified as Dal Bahadur Ale Magar, 44; Tek Bahadur Sunar, 43; Mahalman Thapa Magar, 38; Gunjaman Thapa, 40; Sete Tamang, 38; Lila Tamang, 47; and Prem Bahadur Ghale, 44. "Roasted wasps and hornets are a special cuisine in Manang alongside Gorkha and Lamjung districts. However, the eight individuals who ate wasps started having pain and inflammation in their chest and other body parts," said Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Nabin Kumar Bhandari.

DSP Bhandari of the Manang District Police Office added that the sick individuals were rushed to Lamjung Community Hospital on Wednesday morning. 

"Seven of them were further referred to Besisahar-based Lamjung Hospital and one was admitted to the Manang District Hospital. All of them are still serious," DSP Bhandari said.

Moreover, police and locals had brought the sick individuals to the community hospital by carrying them as there was no motorway to the village.

"We had eaten the wasps Tuesday morning after we brought them from the forest. However, at around 11 pm, all my organs and body parts started aching and I fainted," said Lila Tamang, one of the sick patients.

Inspector Buddhi Prasad Subedi of the district police informed that three of the seven individuals – Tek Bahadur, Gunjaman and Sete – admitted to the Lamjung Hospital were referred to Chitwan Wednesday evening.