A U.S. Postal Service worker was hospitalized after she was attacked by a swarm of hornets while on her suburban Chicago route Tuesday.
The mail carrier was stung between 30 and 50 times near her head and neck in Wheaton, according to U.S. Postal Service spokesperson Beverly Howard. Witnesses say landscapers working nearby may have aggravated the nest.
The mail carrier was transported to Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield and is expected to recover, Howard said.
Neighbor Sandra Romashko said she heard screaming outside her home just before the postal worker asked her to call 911.
“She was very distressed,” said Romashko. “She wasn’t crying. I asked her, ‘Do you know if you’re allergic?’ She said, ‘I don’t know but maybe I am.’”
Exterminators cleared the hornets from the neighborhood Tuesday.
The Postal Service said the incident should serve as a reminder for customers to watch for potential hazards at their homes.
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“Educate our customers to let them know there are safety hazards,” said Howard. “Work with us and keep our carriers safe.”
