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Thursday, April 23, 2026
TopicSnakebite

Topic: Snakebite

Green mamba bites are different from other snakes in the genus. They don’t shut down muscles

A green mamba bite is much more difficult to treat. Most available antivenoms do not target spastic paralysis—a tightening of muscles due to a loss of control signals from the brain.

India is world’s snakebite capital. More states should follow Karnataka model

Lack of awareness among the medical community, an outdated syllabus, and systemic neglect contribute to India’s snakebite crisis. And people from rural regions pay the cost.

Snakebites kill more Indians than malaria, dengue. Blame the urban-rural divide

Snakebites in India are mostly brushed away as a rural, poor-people problem. While the numbers are staggering, the bigger story is wrapped up in mythology, superstition, and abysmal public health infrastructure.

Madhya Pradesh spent Rs 231 crore on snakebite death compensation in 2020-22 — first-of-its-kind study

Published in Transactions of The Royal Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene journal, the study is the first to use govt records of snakebite death compensations in the state.

How to tackle India’s snakebite problem — go beyond ‘big 4’, overhaul 100-year-old protocol

Snakebites in India considered a ‘poor man’s problem’ with little investment in their prevention & treatment. Experts flag need to improve medical infra & focus on community awareness.

Elvish case puts spotlight on snake venom — science behind the bite & the high that follows

Snake venom is a toxin that can cause paralysis, kidney failure, disability, even death. According to researchers, many use it as substitute for opioid use & alcohol dependency.

India accounts for more than 80% of deaths caused by snakebites globally, study finds

Over 63,000 people died of snakebite in 2019, according to global study published in Nature Communications. Death rate substantially reduced since 2008, but far short of WHO goal.

Snakebites aren’t just lethal. In rural India, it means debts of lakhs to victims, families

Survivors of snakebites, their families have to cope with debilitating physical disabilities, a lifetime of dependency and compounding medical bills.

Snake antivenom in India ineffective in treating bites from most species, study finds

The study was conducted by scientists at IISc's Evolutionary Venomics Lab along with herpetologists Gerard Martin and Romulus Whitaker.

Why thousands of Indians continue to die of snakebites

The World Health Organisation says snakebites kill 47,000 people a year in India, which is home to over 270 species of which 60 are venomous. 

On Camera

Mumbai woman who shouted at minister spoke for many Indians, exposed BJP’s protest politics

Had it been a poor woman shouting at Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan over the roadblock, the police would likely have arrested her, raided her home, and terrorised her family members.

India’s online gaming rules to take effect on 1 May; most games exempt from registration

The rules, which come into force on 1 May, establish an Online Gaming Authority which will determine whether a game is an online money game or online social game in only three situations.

Japan overhauls post-World War II pacifist military approach, lifts restrictions on defence exports

Since October last year, Japan PM Sanae Takaichi has planned to increase defence spending target to 2 percent of GDP.

Trump, Netanyahu’s Iran gamble: The regime change rebound

American objectives are unmet. They neither have muscle nor motivation to resume the war. As for Iran, the regime didn’t just survive, it’s now led by more radical individuals.