A
abujagirl
Guest
The number of people bitten by snakes has increased in Gombe State in the last three weeks due to the hot weather, a health official, Dr Abubakar Balla, has said.
Balla, who is in-charge of snake bite treatment centre at Kaltungo Hospital, on Tuesday sid that there was over 70 per cent rise in the number of cases reported to the hospital.
According to him, the hospital now receives an average of 20 cases daily as against six it was receiving three weeks ago.
This, he said, had raised the number of victims currently receiving treatment at the hospital to 119.
He said the figure was far above the 44 patients the hospital was built to accommodate.
Balla warned that people who opted to sleep outside their homes were exposing themselves to snake bites.
"If you must sleep outside, it is better to take precautionary measures. We receive six to seven cases in the last three weeks but now the number has increased to 20,'' he said.
Balla advised the public to clear bushes around their houses and work places, and also to wear protective boots and hand gloves.
Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo recently flagged off the construction of a 200-bed capacity ward at the hospital to treat snake bites.
Balla, who is in-charge of snake bite treatment centre at Kaltungo Hospital, on Tuesday sid that there was over 70 per cent rise in the number of cases reported to the hospital.
According to him, the hospital now receives an average of 20 cases daily as against six it was receiving three weeks ago.
This, he said, had raised the number of victims currently receiving treatment at the hospital to 119.
He said the figure was far above the 44 patients the hospital was built to accommodate.
Balla warned that people who opted to sleep outside their homes were exposing themselves to snake bites.
"If you must sleep outside, it is better to take precautionary measures. We receive six to seven cases in the last three weeks but now the number has increased to 20,'' he said.
Balla advised the public to clear bushes around their houses and work places, and also to wear protective boots and hand gloves.
Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo recently flagged off the construction of a 200-bed capacity ward at the hospital to treat snake bites.
