Khaberni - Jordanian child Omar Hamza Salama, aged one and a half years, passed away on Saturday, a few days after being bitten by an insect, according to his relatives.
Despite no immediate symptoms being Khaberni, his health deteriorated suddenly, and he died about three hours after arriving at Al-Bashir Hospital in Amman.
Entomology experts believe that the insect that bit the child belongs to a dangerous species known as "the black widow".
What is the black widow?
The southern black widow (Latrodectus mactans) Khaberni is a highly venomous spider, found in various regions around the world, and is considered one of the most venomous spiders.
Females are characterized by a shiny black color with a red Khaberni mark underneath the abdomen in the shape of an "hourglass", and they secrete a neurotoxin known as "alpha-latrotoxin", which is several times stronger than snake venom.
They live in dark, damp places like garages, shelters, among debris, and under trees, and usually bite when they feel threatened.
The symptoms of a bite include: sharp pain, muscle cramps, nausea, breathing difficulties, high blood pressure, and sometimes temporary paralysis.
Despite the rarity of death from a bite, children, the elderly, and people with weak immune systems are most at risk.
