Researchers Map Scorpion Hotspots To Guide Treatment

Moroccan and Irish researchers used machine learning to model distributions of 19 scorpion species across Morocco, identifying soil type, seasonal temperatures and rainfall as key predictors and presenting probability maps at the Pasteur Institute in Casablanca. The maps aim to help health authorities prioritize intensive-care capacity, antivenom stocks and emergency response in rural hotspots amid rising scorpionism, which causes about 1.2 million stings and an estimated 3,000 deaths globally each year.