A new study supported by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has suggested that snakebite deaths in India are much rarer than previously estimated, challenging earlier projections of the country’s snakebite mortality burden. The study estimated the annual snakebite mortality rate at 0.33 deaths per 100,000 population, significantly lower than previous estimates of around 6 deaths per 100,000 population. Researchers reported that despite the lower mortality rate, snakebite continues to remain a significant healthcare concern due to its impact across several regions of the country.
The findings showed that 43% of snakebite-related deaths occurred either outside healthcare facilities or while patients were being transported to hospitals, indicating that delayed access to medical care remains an important factor among fatal cases. The study also highlighted the socioeconomic…
