Woman issued major warning after being stung by ‘most venomous creature on earth’ that left ‘body vibrating’

A woman warned holidaymakers to be wary when heading for a dip in the sea after she got stung by what experts have dubbed the 'most venomous creature on earth'.

Zoe Cahill spent more than a month in hospital and has been left with permanent scarring across her body after she wrangled with a deadly box jellyfish in Ko Pha Ngan, Thailand.

She explained that she had been enjoying a solo-trip on the party island and had gone swimming near the shore of Zen Beach in October 2023 when the menacing marine animal struck.

The 23-year-old, from Queensland, Australia, said that it felt as though 'electricity had shot through her body' when the sea creature's tentacles made contact with her skin.

Box jellyfish have up to 15 tentacles - which can reach 10ft in length - growing from each corner of their bells, according to National Geographic.

Each of these have around 5,000 stinging cells, which unleash a deadly toxin when they realise that prey is nearby after sensing the presence of a chemical on the outer layer of its lunch.

The venom from one of these cnidarian invertebrates, which get their name from the cube-like shape of their bell, attacks humans hearts, nervous system and skin cells.

"It is so overpoweringly painful, human victims have been known to go into shock and drown or die of heart failure before even reaching shore," National Geographic explained. "Survivors can experience considerable pain for weeks and often have significant scarring where the tentacles made contact."

Recounting her ordeal, she previously told 9News: "I thought I saw what looked like little bits of plastic in the ocean, and within seconds, this jellyfish stung me. The adrenaline kicked in."

According to the yoga teacher, her entire body 'felt like it was vibrating' as the box jellyfish's venom began to take hold.

The people who assisted Cahill on the beach later claimed that she had collapsed on the sand and had started to turn blue.

A nurse also began performing CPR on Cahill, who could only recall 'crying, screaming' and being 'confused as to what was happening'.

Experts advise those who suffer a box jellyfish sting to immediately exit the water, alert emergency services, and to apply vinegar, hot water, or baking soda to the sting if possible.

As well as causing excruciating pain, this injury can lead to paralysis, cardiac arrest, and even death.

Cahill was taken to a local hospital in Ko Pha Ngan, where doctors then informed her that she would need to be rushed to the nearby island of Ko Samui via speed boat for emergency treatment.

She was then tended to by a marine toxin specialist and ultimately ended up remaining in hospital for more than a month.

The keen traveller was unable to walk for two weeks due to the extent of her horror stings, reminders of which are displayed across her body in an intricate web of scars - which Cahill says she wears 'like the finest of jewellery'.

She has been sharing the details of her recovery on social media since her 2023 ordeal, explaining that she also suffered a cardiac arrest following the box jellyfish attack.

In an Instagram post shared in November 2023, Cahill wrote: "Mumma Ocean gave me a beautiful upgrade. I was stung countless times by planet Earth’s most venomous animal - the box jellyfish.

"Permanent stings across my chest, arms and legs sent me into a natural state of cardiac arrest, the venom giving me the grandest of awakenings.

"When I miraculously made it to shore I very peacefully drifted into a deep state of sleep. Beginning my journey towards the heavens.

"I have spent the last weeks in the emergency wards of a Thailand hospital in a state of deep meditation. Western medical experts affirmed to my family that the chances of my survival were next to nothing."

According to Cahill, she was somehow able to walk away with test results showing that her 'organs were functioning at a healthy rate' and that she had 'no signs of injury'.

Although the tourist is now empowered by her bout against the box jellyfish, she doesn't want others to go through the same pain that she did.

She explained that she wanted to share her story after hearing about other victims 'sparked her attention', adding: "I don't think many people are aware. I had no idea these types of jellyfish were so close to the island."

Interestingly, Cahill revealed in a post that she had actually developed something of a 'jellyfish obsession' in 2020 before the incident, saying: "I would dream about them constantly. Nothing is accidental."

She told her followers that her 'entire value system changed' the day she got stung and that it 'unraveled a newfound appreciation for this human existence and the love that surrounds her'.