British tourist hospitalized after bite from invasive toxic pufferfish in Greece

While wading in the waters of Kalamaki on Zante, a British tourist suffered a bite from a silver-cheeked toadfish, a toxic pufferfish that has recently invaded the Mediterranean. She was rushed to a private clinic where doctors treated the wound and warned of the fish’s potent tetrodotoxin, which can cause heart and lung failure if ingested. Port authority sources say an investigation is under way, but the fish’s distinctive razor-like teeth point to the invasive species rather than a monkfish.

The Greek Red Cross has issued an urgent alert, and officials are deploying floating barriers along vulnerable bays, including a 2.5 km stretch on Evia. Fishermen report extensive damage to nets and catches, while similar attacks on humans have been recorded elsewhere in Greece and even a dog in Netanya, Israel, suffered severe poisoning after contact with the fish.