Toename aantal bijtwonden door slangen in New South Wales (Australië)

Snakebites on the rise in NSW

09-03-2010 The Sydney Morning Herald, Australia


People are being to avoid snakes after a woman aged in her 40s became the eighth victim in six days to be bitten in NSW.

An unidentified snake sank its fangs into the woman's foot, leaving two puncture wounds, in the lower Blue Mountains on Tuesday afternoon.

The attack came after a 35-year-old male snake handler was bitten on the nose and forehead by a deadly brown snake in the NSW Hunter Valley earlier on Tuesday.
He was taken to Muswellbrook hospital in a serious but stable condition and later transferred by the Westpac helicopter to the Mater hospital in Newcastle.

The victim from the lower Blue Mountains was taken to Nepean Hospital in a serious but stable condition.
Her wounds would be tested and a suitable anti-venom administered, a NSW Ambulance spokesman told AAP.

On March 4 a two-year-old girl was bitten by a potentially deadly red-bellied black snake in Badgerys Creek, in Sydney's west.

Five other people were bitten in various locations in NSW on March 7.

Warm weather combined with recent rain has brought the snakes out, a spokesman for Sydney's Taronga Zoo said.

But bolder people sometimes try and handle snakes they come across, he added.

"The warm weather means its peak snake season and the bit of rain we've had brings out other animals which the snakes eat," the spokesman told AAP.
"Most of the incidents occur when the snakes feel cornered. But some people do try and handle them.
"Our advice is to give them a wide berth where possible."

The ambulance spokesman advised snake bite victims to remain still to prevent venom being pumped through the lymphatic system, apply a pressure bandage and dial triple 000.

(Bron: http://news.smh.com.au/)