Almost 50 people were bitten by venomous snakes in Switzerland in 2021, according to a report published by the Tox Info Suisse Foundation. Only one person was seriously affected, but nobody died.
The Tox Info Suisse Foundation said they recorded 48 instances of snake bites in humans throughout 2021. Many of those bitten were treated in hospital, with six people suffering mild symptoms, eight suffering moderate symptoms and one person suffering a severe reaction to the bite.
13 of those bitten were children under the age of 16. Many of the snake bites that were recorded by Tox Info Suisse were from native venomous species, but 5 of the bites were from non-venomous exotic snakes that were kept as pets.
Pets in Switzerland were also affected by snake bites in 2021. Seven dogs were bitten by poisonous snakes in 2021. One dog was severely affected by the bite and another, unfortunately, died from its injuries.
Though Switzerland is not home to many species of snake, it is home to two venomous varieties: the Adder and the Asp Viper. According to experts, the venom that these snakes possess is almost harmless, but if the human body has an allergic reaction to the snake bite, it can quickly become very dangerous. Luckily, nobody has died from the bite of a native venomous snake in Switzerland since 1961.