Swarm: Five attacked by bees in Toledo

The woman of 69-years-old was still in intensive care on Monday at Toledo’s Hospital Virgen de la Salud where doctors described her condition as “serious but stable”.

Authorities said she had received at least 100 stings to her body when she and her family were attacked while walking on a path near the village of Méntrida near Toledo.

The woman’s husband also suffered severe stings and was treated at hospital before being released on Sunday. Three other family members were also treated at a nearby hospital following the attack.

The emergency services confirmed that two fire crews and an ambulance had been called to the incident, which took place on a path just outside Méntrida.

The woman was airlifted to hospital by helicopter following the attack.

Bee experts insisted that such incidents were “extremely rare” and only likely to happen if the hive had been disturbed.

Jaume Cambra, the president of the Ecological Beekeepers Association told Europa Press: “Swarms are very rare and hardly ever happen but can occur in any circumstance,” he said.

Although he added that: “they only usually occur if people attack the hive, by throwing a stone or the like.”