VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) – – There have actually been four verified "marine life" bites in
Virginia Beach within the past week, the
Virginia Beach Rescue Squad validated.
According to EMS, all four people required small first aid.
The mother of one of the bite victims connected to Nexstar's WAVY with images revealing her 10-year-old daughter's injury. The lady's mom believes her daughter Vivienne was bitten by an infant sand shark last Thursday around 9:20 a.m.
" They actually weren't that deep," said
Virginia Beach mom Arryn Van Slyke of her twin 10-year-old daughters. "They were probably like a bit above their knees and they were simply leaping, and after that all of a sudden they came running out."
Van Slyke said at first, she thought a jellyfish stung them or something, but then Vivienne put her foot out and simply shouted.
( Family image).
( Family image).
" I looked down at her foot and I see, like, the whole, like, bite mark and then there was one part where, like, her flesh was showing, so of course I'm, like, simply entirely in shock," Van Slyke said.
A city spokesperson confirmed that very first responders got a call around 9:30 a.m. that day about a kid with a foot injury in the water at Sandbridge Beach. Responders assessed the lady and then carried her to a regional healthcare facility.
The images offered to WAVY show her at the healthcare facility being dealt with for her foot injury. The injury from the bite required eight stitches.
There is still no verification from authorities at this time if the "marine life" that bit the 10-year-old was a shark, but Van Slyke stated Vivienne was treated for what was called a "shark bite laceration.".
" They did X-rays to make certain there was no teeth in there and to make sure she didn't have any damaged bones, and everything was good on the X-ray," Van Slyke stated.
Virginia Beach EMS Brigade Chief of Marine Operations Cat Watson stated all the bites occurred at different times, and the areas were spread out, however she could not state what kind of marine life the bites were from without medical confirmation.
Ohio Bill would make walleye the state fish.
She stated bites like these are rare, however it is the ocean, so you need to stay alert.
" If you see a big group of school of fish swimming in the ocean, we recommend not swimming in the middle of that," Watson said. "Additionally, if you see a pod of dolphins, that's likewise not safe to go swim [with] the dolphins. You wish to appreciate marine life because it is their home.".
Virginia Beach EMS stated to constantly swim near lifeguards, if there is one, and be aware of your surroundings.
" It's not simply the possibility of sharks, it might be large schools of fish," Watson stated. "It might be pods of dolphins, jellyfish, sea life.".
Watson added that it's crucial to avoid those out fishing on the beach.
" Don't swim best next to a fisherman, however maybe provide a little bit of space on either side," Watson stated.
Van Slyke said Vivienne remains in great spirits and recovery well however does not plan to go back in the water anytime quickly.
" She keeps saying she's truly lucky that absolutely nothing worse occurred, but she's unfortunate since she got bit by a shark in the very first place," Van Slyke said. "They decided they're probably never ever entering the water at the beach, which we've existed so many times, so it's just insane that it even occurred. But yeah, it's truly scary.".
Flag down a lifeguard and call 911 if you require medical attention at the beach.
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