Wednesday, November 30, 2011

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 would 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.

http://www.dailynews.lk/2011/11/30/news51.asp

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