Magen David Adom data indicate a significant increase in snakebite cases in Israel
The weather is getting warmer, increasing the danger of snake bites. This is the season when the snakes wake up from their winter sleep and every year dozens of people are injured as a result of snake bites during the summer. According to Magen David Adom data, there was a sharp increase in snakebites in Israel in the last two months, compared to the same period last year.
Since the beginning of April, MDA medics and paramedics have treated 45 people who were bitten by snakes. One of them was pronounced dead at a hospital, two were evacuated in serious condition and 5 in moderate condition. During the same period last year, the teams of Magen David Adom They treated 30 people who were bitten, including 2 who were in serious condition and 2 in moderate condition.This is a significant increase this year of 50 percent.
In total, from the beginning of April last year (2018) to the beginning of June 2019, MDA medics and paramedics provided medical treatment to 199 people who were bitten by snakes and evacuated 8 of them to the hospital in serious condition and 21 in moderate condition. The death of two of the victims, an 81-year-old man from Sharon and a 75-year-old woman from the north of the country, was determined in a hospital.
The Magen David Adom data shows that 69 of all the mochashim (35%) are minors under the age of 18, including 8 toddlers under the age of 3 (4% of all the mochashim). 12 of those bitten (6%) are elderly over the age of 65. A one and a half year old baby girl is the youngest bitten by a snake in the last year and the oldest is an 86 year old man.
151 of all those blackmailed since April 2018 are boys and 48 are girls. 91 were killed in the center of the country and the Sharon region, 64 in the north of the country and 44 in the south.
In the last summer months (April 2018-September 2018), 118 people were bitten, and in the winter months (October 2018-March 2019), 36 people were bitten. This is more than 3 times as many people who were bitten in the six months of summer, compared to the six months of winter, according to Magen David Adom data.
The MDA explains: In cases where people are injured while they are in the open and not at an arranged address, it is extremely important to use my MDA application, which helps the medics and paramedics at the call center and in the ambulance to locate your exact location, allows you to send a photo of the bite marks and the snake from the area, thereby saving valuable time.
In the event of a hit, proceed in the following ways:
- Make sure it is a bite and look for its mark
- Always suspect that it is a poisonous snake
- Do not delay and immediately call MDA on the emergency phone 101, or via the "My MDA" applet
- Remove the victim from the area and move him to a safe place
- Take care of the victim's complete rest and sedation, and prevent movement of the injured organ
- Remove clothing and jewelry from the affected limb
- If possible, carefully photograph the snake, to aid identification and treatment, or try to recreate its appearance
It is forbidden in any way:
- אל Cut the bite site
- אל Suck the poison
- אל Place a tourniquet
- אל Cool the bite site
- אל Give the victim food or drink
- אל Chase the snake