(CNN)Visitors to beaches in Australia’s Queensland got a nasty surprise over the weekend: hordes of bluebottle jellyfish, which stung more than 3,000 people on the Gold and Sunshine coasts.
According to rescue organization Surf Life Saving Queensland, 3,595 people sought treatment for bluebottle stings over the weekend, while 9,300 have been treated so far in 2019, with nine people hospitalized. In comparison, the organization’s yearly report, released in September 2018, revealed that 14,008 bluebottle stings were recorded over the preceding 12 months.
Lifeguards temporarily closed several beaches over the weekend, including the Rainbow, Tugun, Coolangatta, and Northcliffe beaches.
