“How Did It Happen”: 15-Year-Old Teen Gets Bitten by a Puff Adder Outside Graafwater

• A 15-year-old boy from Graafwater was bitten on the finger by a puff adder while outside his home
• He was rushed to Clanwilliam Hospital, where doctors began treatment immediately
• Social media users were concerned about how he got bitten and sent messages of support

A snake handler shared a photo on his Facebook page showing how Jay, 15, from Graafwater in the Western Cape, found himself in a deadly situation. The young boy was bitten on his finger by a puff adder at around four in the afternoon.

Jay's father contacted the snake remover @Bolandsnakeremovals straight away, and the expert advised that the teen should be rushed to Clanwilliam Hospital, where staff are used to dealing with snake bites.

At the hospital, Jay was dealing with serious pain and a burning sensation from the bite. He was put on a drip quickly, as the doctors started running tests to figure out how much venom had entered his system. The hospital had antivenom ready just in case.

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The photo shows Jay sitting on a hospital bed with a drip in his arm. According to @Bolandsnakeremovals, it turned out to be a dry bite, and Jay's parents were on their way to fetch him from the hospital.

Netizens react to the puff adder incident

The incident drew attention online, with many showing concern and support:

@Norman Williams wrote:

"Pull through."

@Fiona Hickman asked:

"How did he get that close to the puff adder?"

@Blaar Theron added:

"We are keeping him in prayer and speaking complete healing over him. Amen."

@Tess D Harvard speculated:

"One of two situations… He did not see the snake and bent down to pick something off the ground … Or, he saw the snake and tried to handle it …"

@Magda Jordaan-Du Plessis wished:

"Good luck son. How did it happen that he got bit on the finger?"

What are the dangers of puff adders

Content creator @Bolandsnakeremovals showed the risks of puff adder bites through this incident. These snakes are highly venomous and can be found all over sub-Saharan Africa. It’s unclear exactly how the bite happened, but the incident serves as a reminder to be cautious around wildlife, and even near your own home.

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According to the National Library of Medicine, puff adder bites can cause tissue death, blood clotting problems, low blood pressure and even internal bleeding.

Treatment sometimes needs multiple vials of antivenom and close monitoring. The venom has enzymes that mess with blood clotting, which makes getting medical help quickly very important. Even a bite to just one finger needs careful watching and fast treatment, just like in Jay's case.

View the Facebook photo below:

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Source: Briefly News