Nicosia boy hospitalised after snake bite

A little boy in Nicosia has been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit following a snake bite incident.

According to local media, a two-year-old boy attempted to grab a viper at the patio of his home on Tuesday, when the snake bit him. Witnesses said a neighbour then hunted down the viper and killed it. 

The boy was rushed to the Emergency Room at Nicosia General Hospital where doctors said the bite caused swelling in the left arm. The young patient was then transferred to Makarios Children’s Hospital late Tuesday night and was administered analgesic and antipyretic drugs.

A doctor at the hospital said the boy would remain in the ICU so that his health can be monitored, while a decision to transfer him to another unit would be made later.

In a statement made to another news network, the medical director at Makarios’ pediatric department said in case of a venomous snake bite, people should keep the bitten limb still, because “quick and intense movements can move the venom more quickly through the blood.”

This is the second snake bite reported this summer, according to officials. A similar incident took place in Larnaca where a one-year-old boy grabbed a snake during playtime. His parents took the boy to a private clinic and proper medical treatment was administered just in time, according to officials.

Medical experts say in case medical treatment is not provided immediately, the child can experience severe pain and swelling and may also have convulsions and fever.