A man from Uttar Pradesh was reportedly bitten six times in 35 days. Vikas Dubey, from Soura village, was reportedly taken to the hospital each time he was bitten and then recovered on getting treatment.
India Today reported that Dubey was first bitten by a snake on June 2, at his house, while he was getting out of bed. Since then, he was bitten by five more snakes.
The man was even advised to leave his house due to the snake bites. He moved to his aunt's in Radhanagar where a fifth snake bit him. His parents brought him back home, but days later, on July 6, Dubey was again bitten by a snake.
The publication reported him recounting that he had a premonition each time a snake bit him and that these instances usually took place on a Saturday or Sunday.
In India, around 50,000 deaths occur from an estimated 3-4 million snakebites annually. This makes up for half of all snakebite deaths globally.
Ninety per cent of snake bites in the country come from the 'big four' a government press release notes. These are the common krait, Indian cobra, Russell's viper and saw scaled viper.
Meanwhile, a World Health Organisation report notes that an estimated 5.4 million people across the world are bitten by snakes each year. Of that, 1.8 to 2.7 million are cases of envenoming, where the snake is poisononous and the bite poses a threat to life.
Approximately, 81,410 to 1,37,880 people are killed each year due to snakebites, the report added. Three times as many amputations and other permanent disabilities are caused due to these bites.
The WHO report notes that children and agricultural workers are among the most affected, with children suffering more severe effects than adults as a result of smaller body mass.
Published 10 July 2024, 10:12 IST