Woman airlifted to hospital after suspected black mamba snakebite

A woman was bitten by a snake, presumed to be a black mamba, in her home. Picture: IPSS Medical Rescue

A woman was bitten by a snake, presumed to be a black mamba, in her home. Picture: IPSS Medical Rescue

Published Mar 15, 2023

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Durban — A woman has been bitten by a snake believed to be a black mamba in Ballito on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast.

IPSS Medical Rescue managing director Dylan Meyrick said IPSS Medical Rescue paramedics were on the scene where a woman had been bitten by a snake, presumed to be a black mamba in her home.

“The woman is in a critical condition, so a decision was made to activate AMS Medivac helicopter,” Meyrick said.

He said the woman would be airlifted to a suitable facility in Durban.

A woman was bitten by a snake, presumed to be a black mamba in her home. Picture: IPSS Medical Rescue

In January a security officer was hospitalised after he was bitten by a snake while on the job.

Emer-G-Med spokesperson Kyle van Reenen said just after 9pm on (a) Monday night, Emer-G-Med paramedics responded to the Prospecton area for a security officer who was bitten by a snake while on patrol.

“The man was treated and stabilised on scene before being taken to a nearby hospital for further care,” Van Reenen said at the time.

He said the man was in a moderate condition.

Asked about the man and the description of the snake, Van Reenen said the information was very limited.

A woman was bitten by a snake, presumed to be a black mamba, in her home. Picture: IPSS Medical Rescue

Also in January, Durban snake catcher Nick Evans was called for a large number of black mambas in the greater Durban area.

“Yet, despite all these mambas living among all these people, in a city famous for mambas, I did not record a single black mamba bite within the greater Durban area. A few in other parts of the province. However, that’s not to say there were none.

“I try my best to network and hear about bites to document, but I don’t hear about every snakebite. Still, if there were mamba bites, there weren’t many. They’re high-profile, usually. Shows you something about mambas, hey?”

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