Snake bite victims rise in A'pura
Gamini JAYASINGHE
The average number of people subjected to serpent bites daily in the
Anuradhapura district has risen to almost four with the onset of rains
recently.
This is because serpents, including snakes, tend to creep or get
swept into houses and crop fields tended by farmers due to floods caused
by heavy rains experienced in the region, said Anuradhapura Teaching
Hospital's nursing officer in charge of Health Education and Promotion
Athula Indrajith.
He said it is advisable for people venturing out at night to wear a
trouser and shoes and carry a torch as a precaution to avoid trampelling
snakes and other serpents.
A person bitten by a serpent should seek hospital treatment
immediately to ensure proper cure and save life. If the serpent is dead
it will be advisable for the patient to bring the carcass to the
hospital as it w
ould help hospital staff to give the proper anti-venom vaccine and
other treatments.
Tree branches touching roofs should be chopped and any space left
between the bottom of the door and the ground when it is closed should
be covered, to prevent serpents sneaking into houses.
The people should also make it a habit to properly dust their beds
and examine their rooms throughly before going to bed at night to ensure
that no serpents had sneakily entered their abodes.
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