The Poison Control Center, Bach Mai Hospital received 9 patients bitten by snakes and other poisonous animals on the night of Typhoon Yagi.
On September 10, a representative of Bach Mai Hospital said that on the night of September 7 and early morning of September 8, when Typhoon Yagi made landfall in the northern provinces, the Poison Control Center received and treated 9 patients bitten by venomous snakes and other poisonous animals, accounting for the majority of hospitalizations.
Patients were bitten in many different circumstances, mostly by people going out to check their gardens and fields, coming into contact with trees, bushes, and limited visibility. There were cases where venomous snakes entered the house and bit the patient while he was sleeping.
Currently, they are being actively treated according to the detoxification regimen.
Dr. Nguyen Trung Nguyen, Director of the Poison Control Center, said that the time of storms and wet weather disrupts the natural habitat of animals, creating ideal conditions for snakes and insects to come out of their shelters and search for food.
Many snake species such as cobras, vipers and other pests are forced to live among residential areas, making it easy for them to come into contact with humans and cause accidents. In the dark, they will be more active and aggressive. During the time Typhoon Yagi made landfall, the aftermath of the storm, heavy rain, heavy floods, widespread flooding, and power outages in many areas… are factors that increase the risk of people being bitten by snakes and poisonous insects.
Venomous snakes such as banded kraits and cobras do not cause pain or swelling when they bite, and do not even leave marks due to their small teeth, and do not cause abnormal deformation. Many people, late at night or when they wake up in the morning, their family members discover signs of poisoning such as paralysis, difficulty breathing, or even death. This can easily be mistaken for many different diseases without knowing it. Therefore, when you see a family member suddenly having difficulty breathing, you need to take them to the hospital immediately.
To prevent poisoning from snakes and poisonous animals during the rainy season, people need to pay attention when approaching hidden corners, garbage piles, piles of leaves, bushes, piles of bricks, crevices, caves, places where snakes and poisonous animals often live. It is best to use sticks, lights, stand from a distance and “disturbed” these locations so that if there are any, snakes will actively come out.
Never touch the above areas with bare hands as they are very vulnerable to attack. When going out at night, in case of rain or flood, wear boots, gloves, and a hat…
People in rural and mountainous areas should also keep their doors closed on the first floor, and should not actively catch snakes, but should chase them away or, if necessary, beat them to death. Many cases of snake bites are caused by actively catching them, even when the snake appears to be dead, it can still bite people.