Panic over the Russell's viper has spread in several districts of Bangladesh. Many people are posting photos and videos of the snake on social media along with frightening claims about it, including that its bite kills people quickly. Because of this negative publicity, as elsewhere in the country, widespread panic has spread across Khulna from the city to the villages.

But the district's civil surgeon, Dr Sheikh Safiqul Islam, said there was no shortage of antivenom in Khulna's hospitals and advised people not to panic about the snake. He spoke to Jago News on Saturday (22 June).

Sheikh Safiqul Islam said snakebite patients should go to Khulna's nine upazila health complexes, or, if they can be taken quickly, to the general hospital or the medical college hospital. There is no shortage of antivenom at the upazila health complexes, the general hospital or the medical college hospital in Khulna.

He said the country has many kinds of venomous snakes whose bite can kill people or other animals, and many people die of snakebite every year. But nobody will die of a snakebite if they get treatment in time.

The civil surgeon said so much panic was being spread about Russell's viper that it was badly frightening people. Snakes are a little more common in the monsoon, but because of social media many people do not dare to go around their homes or into their gardens even in daytime. In many places, bites from the non-venomous checkered keelback (dhora) are also being described as Russell's viper bites. Snakes are being killed on sight, which risks upsetting the balance of nature.

He added that there was nothing to fear about Russell's viper: if someone is bitten and treated in time, no harm will be done. Anyone bitten by any snake, not only a Russell's viper, must get treatment quickly. He also advised carrying a light and a small stick when going out at night.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.