Snakebites, and deaths from them, rise in June and July. Snakes are seen less in settlements at other times of the year, but in the monsoon, with water everywhere, they turn up more often. That is why news of deaths from snakebites is common at this time.

• Keep the area around your house clean. It is better not to keep food items such as paddy, rice, ducks, chickens or pigeons in the bedroom.
• Sleep on a bed under a mosquito net. Do not sleep on the floor, and take special care when sleeping on a raised platform (macha) at night.
• Walk very carefully through grass or bushes. Wear long shoes or boots if needed.
• Take special care, with a light and a stick, if you go out at night.
• Do not put your hands or feet into holes. Move stacked firewood or straw very carefully.
• Before putting your hand into a chai (bamboo fish trap) or a net, check whether there is a snake inside.

Information in this article is from the Health Education Bureau, Directorate General of Health Services.

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