People should be aware of poisonous snakes while spending time in nature, a Miaoli County-based doctor said, offering advice on the right response when a bite occurs.
There are six poisonous snake species that are common in Taiwan: the brown spotted pit viper, the Chinese bamboo pit viper, the cobra, the many-banded krait, the Chinese copperhead and the Siamese Russell’s viper, said Yan Chun-fang (顏群芳), a physician at Wei-Gong Memorial Hospital.
The snakes can be identified by their skin patterns, she said, adding that after a bite, it is crucial to identify the snake so that the right treatment can be initiated.
Photo courtesy of the National Nature Park Management Office
Most emergency rooms in Taiwan have charts to help people identify the snakes, she added.
People should consult a doctor even if no symptoms occur, she said, adding that non-venomous snakes might also bite.
If thrombosis, swelling or muscle weakness occurs after a bite, people might need to undergo an antivenom treatment, she said, adding that symptoms might vary, depending on the species of snake.
“A cobra bite will cause your eyes to droop, and cause difficulties speaking and swallowing, while a many-banded krait bite will cause a loss of muscle strength and breathing difficulty,” she said. “Bites from either of these species must be treated with an antivenom that targets neuromuscular paralysis.”
A Chinese copperhead bite causes a large reduction in blood platelets, which leads to bleeding, while a Siamese Russell’s viper’s bite causes rapid kidney failure, she said.
Bites from either of these snakes requires a specific antivenom, she said.
Antivenoms contain antibodies that neutralize a specific snake species’ venom, she said.
If bitten, it is important to remember characteristics of the snake’s appearance, she said.
Rings and other jewelry should be removed to prevent injury in the event of swelling, she said.
If possible, the part of the body with the bite site should be bandaged to slow the spread of the venom, she said.
“Remain calm and consult a doctor as soon as possible,” she said. “Do not cut open the injured area, as that could spread infection, and do not try to use your mouth to suck the venom out of the wound.”
Ice should not be applied to the bite site, as this could lead to necrosis of the skin near the affected area, she said, adding that coffee and alcohol should not be consumed, as that could accelerate the effect of the venom.
Seven of the 17 NT$10 million (US$311,604) winning receipts from the November-December uniform invoice lottery remain unclaimed as of today, the Ministry of Finance said, urging winners to redeem their prizes by May 5. The reminder comes ahead of the release of the winning numbers for the January-February lottery tomorrow. Among the unclaimed receipts was one for a NT$173 phone bill in Keelung, while others were for a NT$5,913 purchase at Costco in Taipei's Neihu District (內湖), a NT$49 purchase at a FamilyMart in New Taipei City's Tamsui District (淡水), and a NT$500 purchase at a tea shop in New Taipei City's
Taiwanese officials were shown the first of 66 F-16V fighter jets purchased by Taiwan from the United States, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday, adding the aircraft has completed an initial flight test and is expected to be delivered later this year. A delegation led by Deputy Minister of National Defense Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) visited Lockheed Martin’s F-16 C/D Block 70 (also known as F-16V) assembly line in South Carolina on March 16 to view the aircraft. The jet will undergo a final acceptance flight in the US before being delivered to Taiwan, the
The New Taipei Metro's Sanyin Line and the eastern extension of the Taipei Metro's Tamsui-Xinyi Line (Red Line) are scheduled to begin operations in June, the National Development Council said today. The Red Line, which terminates at Xiangshan Station, would be connected by the 1.4km extension to a new eastern terminal, Guangci/Fengtian Temple Station, while the Sanyin Line would link New Taipei City's Tucheng and Yingge stations via Sanxia District (三峽). The council gave the updates at a council meeting reviewing progress on public construction projects for this year. Taiwan's annual public infrastructure budget would remain at NT$800 billion (US$25.08 billion), with NT$97.3
TALENT SCOUTING: The university is investing substantial funds in its future to bring in the kind of researchers that would keep the college internationally competitive National Taiwan University (NTU) plans to invest NT$2 billion (US$62.6 million) to launch two programs aimed at attracting and retaining top research talent, university president Chen Wen-chang (陳文章) said yesterday. The funding would support the “Palm Grove Scholars Project,” which targets academics aged 40 to 55. Up to 20 scholars would be selected, each receiving as much as NT$10 million annually, Chen said. The initiative is designed to attract leading researchers to Taiwan and strengthen NTU’s global competitiveness by fostering a more research-friendly environment and expanding international collaboration, he said. NTU is also introducing a “Hong Hu” chair grant, which would provide Palm
RSS