In the fourth reported snakebite death in Kerala within a week, a 65-year-old woman died in Alappuzha late on Friday. The victim, Indira, was a native of Nedumudi. The incident occurred outside the bathroom adjacent to her house in the evening. She was rushed to the Vandanam Medical College Hospital, where she died while undergoing treatment.

According to medical college officials, Indira arrived at the casualty around 6.30 pm along with her relatives. “She said it was a cobra that bit her. However, she soon collapsed. We administered anti-venom and intubated her. As her condition worsened, she was shifted to the Medicine ICU, but she passed away while under treatment. Her body was shifted for postmortem at 10 pm,” officials said. 

Indira’s daughter, meanwhile, said that her mother came running from near the bathroom and told her that a snake had bitten her. “I saw the bleeding wound and immediately tied a thread around her leg. I washed the wound with soap. We waited for 10 minutes for the vehicle to arrive. She was in a stable condition when we left for the hospital,” she added. After the postmortem examination, the body will be handed over to her relatives.

Meanwhile, another case of snakebite was reported from Nenmara in Palakkad on Saturday. The victim, when reports last came in was stated to be in a stable condition.

The incident comes two days after another Alappuzha native died following a suspected snakebite on Thursday. The deceased, Seleena, was a native of Cheravally in Kayamkulam. The incident occurred around 7.15 pm, about 3 km from her house, as she was about to get into her car after attending a relative’s wedding reception. The Kayamkulam Taluk Hospital RMO said preliminary check-ups did not indicate a snakebite, due to which anti-venom was not administered.