( CNN ) -- More than 1,600 people within a 10-mile stretch of central Florida 's Atlantic beaches have been stung in the past week by a distinctive species of jellyfish not indigenous to North America , a rescue official said Tuesday . Brevard County Ocean Rescue officials said they began flying warning flags at beaches from Cocoa Beach to Cape Canaveral last Tuesday , indicating either a medium or high hazard , along with another flag indicating dangerous marine life . `` From last Wednesday to Friday , we got about 600 reports . Saturday to ( Tuesday ) , we got another thousand , '' Chief Jeff Scabarozi said . Monty Graham , a scientist at Alabama 's Dauphin Island Sea Lab , said the jellyfish appear to be what are known as mauve stingers , a species that often blooms in response to small climate cycles like El Niño . `` The interesting thing about these jellyfish is that they 're very sporadic . They occur in heavy numbers , but not every year , '' he said . Graham said the last time he had seen such a widespread outbreak in the United States was more than a decade ago . `` They 're much more common in the Mediterranean , '' he said . `` Probably what we 're seeing is a large population bloom in the Gulf of Mexico transported by the Gulf Stream wrapping around the coast of Florida . '' All weekend long , countless numbers of jellyfish washed up on shores , standing out against the sand due to their characteristic purplish-reddish hue . Graham said that although mauve stingers are smaller and much less familiar than the Portuguese man o ' war and cannonball jellyfish that often wash up on Florida shores , the ruddy-colored animal can pack a punch . `` While they might be small , they 're actually pretty potent . And unlike the others , these animals actually have stinging cells up on the top of their bells in addition to the stingers on their tentacles , which is uncommon . '' When stung , mauve stinger victims may see a discoloration on their skin where contact was made , Graham said . `` These guys will leave actual marks on you sometimes . It may stay with you for quite some time , but over time it will go away . '' The stings cause itching , burning and rashes and can sometimes spur an allergic reaction . Although none of the stings reported in Brevard County was believed to be serious , officials said two people who were stung were taken to hospitals after suffering from respiratory distress . It was unclear whether the distress was directly caused by the stings or came from a pre-existing medical condition . Most victims were being treated by a vinegar solution stocked at the various lifeguard stations . Despite the abundance of visible jellyfish in the water , many trying to enjoy the Memorial Day weekend took their chances -- and suffered the repercussions . `` We 've already gone through about 25 gallons of vinegar . Even so , a lot of people did n't go into the water , '' Scabarozi said . `` I just want to know when they 're going to leave . ''
The jellyfish are visitors to central Florida 's Atlantic beaches . They congregated in a 10-mile stretch off the coast of Brevard County . The mauve stinger jellyfish are small but `` pretty potent , '' scientist says .