The warm and humid climate in Taiwan provides the perfect habitat for snakes.　Each March, reptiles come out of their hibernation.　The six poisonous snakes that are commonly found in Taiwan include the bamboo pit viper, the pointed-scale pit viper, the Chinese moccasin, the many-banded krait, the common cobra, and the Russell’s viper. The bamboo pit viper, the pointed-scale pit viper, the Chinese moccasin have hemotoxic venoms. The many-banded krait and the common cobra have neurotoxic venoms. The Russell’s viper have venoms that are both hemotoxic and neurotoxic. As the Sweeping Tomb Festival is approaching, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) reminds the public to take precautions to prevent snake bites when cleaning graves, watching flower blossoms, hiking and going out for an outing.

According to a study on snakebite cases in Taiwan, 31.7% of the victims were bitten by the bamboo-pit viper, 23.3% were bitten by the pointed-scale pit viper, 13.2% were bitten by the common cobra, 5.5% were bitten by the many-banded krait, 1.4% were bitten by the Chinese moccasin, and 0.5% were bitten by the Russell’s viper. To prevent injuries and deaths by snakebites, Taiwan CDC stockpiles a sufficient amount of antivenoms, including 3,200 vials of antivenin of Tr. mucrosqamatus and Tr. gramineus (Lyophilized), 1,200 vials of B. multicincutus and N. nagaatra (Lyophilized), 330 vials of antivenin of D. acutus (Lyophilized), and 50 vials of antivenin of D.russellii (Lyophilized), each year for the purpose of first aid.

Taiwan CDC points out that the aforementioned antivenoms is managed by the medical supplies and personal protective equipment management information system, which oversees the distribution of the biological product. As the antivenoms are prescription-only medicines, only healthcare providers can purchase them. The public is strongly advised against buying antivenoms from unknown sources. To ensure access to antivenoms everywhere in the nation, each of the six Regional Centers under Taiwan CDC has kept a stockpile of each of the antivenoms and all healthcare providers can look up the availability of the antivenoms online. If an urgent supply is needed, please call the toll-free Communicable Disease Reporting and Consultation Hotline, 1922 (or 0800-001922).

Taiwan CDC once again urges the public to take precautions against snake bites when sweeping tombs, hiking and going out for an outing. To prevent snake bites, the public is advised to avoid visiting and lingering in areas where snakes are known to be during the night-time and dawn as well as after the rain.　When bitten by a snake, please try to remain calm, remember the characteristics of the biting snake, apply a bandage or any flexible material such as clothing, towel and stocking over the bite site, then apply a splint or any rigid object such as a piece of wood or tree branch to the bite site to restrict movement, keep the bite site below the level of the heart, and seek medical attention at a hospital as soon as possible. For more information, please visit the Taiwan CDC website at http://www.cdc.gov.tw or call the toll-free Communicable Disease Reporting and Consultation Hotline, 1922 (or 0800-001922).