The mayor of La Prairie, Que., has died after suffering multiple wasp stings at her cabin.
Lucie Roussel was in Stratford, Que., when she stepped on a wasp nest Sunday. She was reportedly stung by more than 15 wasps and died later in hospital.
Roussel, 51, had been the mayor of La Prairie, a Montreal-area community, since 2005. She leaves behind two children, who are 18 and 19.
The town鈥檚 deputy mayor, Laurent Blais, said Roussel鈥檚 death was a shock to everyone. The mayor had no known allergies to wasp stings.
鈥淥h she was respected a lot,鈥� said La Prairie resident Sylvie Trepanier, who wiped away tears as she looked at the empty city hall parking spot reserved for Roussel.
鈥淪he was a wonderful woman and a fair woman and a woman of heart. She cared for us all those years.鈥�
A city hall spokesperson said Roussel was stung by a wasp last week without incident, but experts say it鈥檚 the second exposure to a wasp sting that can lead to complications.
it鈥檚 possible to have a mild reaction to insect bites or certain types of food one time, followed by a severe reaction the next time. Severe allergic reactions are unpredictable, the agency says.
Dr. Joseph Shuster, an allergist at McGill University Health Centre, said dying from an insect sting is extremely rare. The fact that Roussel was stung many times likely made the difference, he told CTV Montreal.
Roussel鈥檚 family had suffered another tragedy in the past, when her husband died suddenly of a heart attack.
鈥淚鈥檓 thinking about her family,鈥� said Reine Hebert, a former colleague. 鈥淭hey lost their father a few years ago. And it鈥檚 like, you can鈥檛 do that to the family鈥t鈥檚 so sad.鈥�
With a report from CTV Montreal鈥檚 Kevin Gallagher
