TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently announced a list of six snake species that cause most bites in the country based on the number of antivenom serum vials administered.
The activity of snakes has increased since the beginning of April as the weather has become warmer and more humid, the CDC said.
CDC physician Chao Pei-jiuan (趙珮娟) said that more than 1,000 people in Taiwan are bitten by snakes every year. The six species that have caused the most snake bites are as follows: the pointed-scaled pit viper, the green bamboo viper, the Chinese moccasin, the common cobra, the many-banded krait, and the Russell’s viper.
CDC Center for Research, Diagnostics and Vaccine Development section chief Cheng Ya-fen (鄭雅芬) said that even though many people are afraid of the six venomous species, most venomous snakes are afraid of humans. “So if you encounter snakes in the outdoor, don’t panic. Just keep over a meter of ‘safe social distance’ with them, move away slowly and be good to each other,” she said.
Cheng said that understanding the characteristics of each venomous snake species can help people avoid them.
Snake bites are mainly treated with the injection of neutralizing antivenom. The CDC is the only institution in the country that produces and supplies antivenom.
Chao reminded the public to treat any snake bite as a poisonous snake bite. She advised people to remember the appearance of the snake, take off jewelry to avoid limb swelling, bandage the upper edge of the wound to slow down the spread of venom, and seek medical treatment as soon as possible.
Do not open the wound and suck out the venom with the mouth, do not apply ice to avoid tissue necrosis, do not drink alcohol or stimulating beverages to avoid accelerating the effect of venom, and do not delay seeking medical treatment, she added.
Pointed-scaled pit viper. (Flickr,澎湖小雲雀 photo)
Green bamboo viper. (Flickr, 潘立傑 LiChieh Pan photo)
Chinese moccasin. (Flickr, alexwhite21 photo)
Common cobra. (Pixabay photo)
Many-banded krait. (Flickr, Skink Chen photo)
Russell's viper. (Flickr, alexwhite21 photo)
