Mount Everest Hospitals Face Antivenom Shortage

Hospitals in the Mount Everest region are working to secure supplies of snake antivenom following a rise in venomous snake bites at higher altitudes.

Experts warn that global warming is driving species once confined mainly to lowland areas into mountainous regions, increasing the risk to tourists and climbers as well.

Since mid-April, Sotang Hospital in Nepal's Solukhumbu district has treated approximately 30 patients for snake bites, two of whom were transferred to Kathmandu for specialized treatment after being bitten by venomous snakes. The hospital has already requested antivenom supplies from the ministry of health.

Venomous snakes from the lowlands are appearing at increasingly higher altitudes in the mountains, according to snake expert Sanjib Kumar Sharma. In addition to climate change, increased traffic and changes in human settlement patterns may also be contributing factors.

Nepal is warming at nearly twice the global average rate. Last year, conservationists near Everest captured 10 venomous snakes, including nine king cobras. The government has set a goal of halving the number of deaths and permanent disabilities resulting from snake bites by 2030.

(telegraph, est)