A 68-year-old man died after being attacked by a swarm of bees during a soccer match in Iturbe, in the Guairá department. The victim was identified as Elvio Lizandro Ramírez Benítez.
The incident occurred on Sunday at the Club 12 de Junio stadium, during the first ten minutes of an Under-20 category match between the 12 de Junio and 27 de Noviembre teams. The sudden appearance of the swarm caused panic among players, referees, and spectators, forcing the immediate suspension of the match. As a precautionary measure, the First Division game scheduled to follow was also canceled.
According to the National Police, Ramírez Benítez suffered multiple stings and fainted. Officers providing security at the location administered first aid and took him to the Iturbe Basic Hospital. Despite the efforts of the medical team, the man did not survive and died shortly after being admitted. The probable cause of death, according to the on-duty doctor, was anaphylactic shock due to the numerous stings.
The case was reported to the Public Prosecutor's Office, which authorized the release of the body to the family after legal procedures were completed. This is another fatal episode involving bee swarms in Paraguay this year, with previous cases recorded in the Central and Ñeembucú departments, which has led authorities to reinforce warnings for the population not to try to disperse the insects and to immediately call the fire department or specialists upon spotting a swarm in public areas.