Egypt's Assistant Minister of Health, Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, revealed details and procedures for handling snakebite cases and the mechanism for providing antivenom serums, against the backdrop of panic sparked by repeated deaths in Sharqia Governorate after three people, including two children, died within days.

Abdel Ghaffar confirmed that the serums are available in hospitals and there is no crisis in supply, and he explained the reasons for not distributing them to all health units, as well as the medical procedures to be followed to save patients.

In exclusive statements to Sky News Arabia, Abdel Ghaffar said, "The Ministry of Health is closely monitoring the epidemiological situation in Sharqia Governorate, as the readiness of medical teams has been raised to handle cases around the clock, and the antivenom serum is available in general, central, model, and specialized hospitals."

This comes amid growing concern in the Egyptian governorate following repeated snakebite deaths in recent days, along with demands to provide serums in health units close to agricultural villages and to accelerate intervention by relevant authorities to combat the spread of snakes.

In response to demands to provide serums in all health units, Abdel Ghaffar explained that limiting availability to hospitals is "a medical and regulatory decision based on international protocols," noting that the serum "is not a treatment given to everyone who is bitten, as a proportion of bites come from non-venomous snakes or do not lead to poisoning requiring the administration of the serum."

He added that "the serum is given intravenously and may cause severe allergic reactions, which requires a trained medical team, full resuscitation equipment, as well as monitoring the patient and observing vital signs for at least 24 to 48 hours—capabilities available in hospitals but not in the nature of primary care units."

The Assistant Minister of Health emphasized that the top priority when bitten by a snake is "quickly transporting the patient to the nearest equipped hospital without delay," advising to immobilize the affected limb and reduce movement as much as possible, and to transport the patient lying on their left side to secure the airway, while warning against resorting to incorrect folk practices, and thus the need to "completely avoid cauterization, cutting, sucking, tight bandaging, or any folk remedies," explaining that "delay in reaching specialized care, or resorting to folk treatment, may pose a greater risk than the injury itself."

Regarding the recent deaths, Abdel Ghaffar said, "Linking death to the availability of serum is not valid without reviewing the full medical report, because the severity of poisoning, the type of snake, the time the patient took to reach the hospital, and the patient's health condition are all key factors affecting the outcome," reaffirming the continued availability of serums in hospitals, raising the readiness of medical teams, and intensifying awareness among citizens on prevention methods and proper handling of snakebites to ensure their safety.

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Concern in Sharqia

These statements come in the wake of a series of tragic incidents in the Minya al-Qamh district of Sharqia Governorate, where snakes have spread terror among residents after three people died within about two weeks from bites while in agricultural lands.

The village of Qaraqra witnessed mourning after the death of a 37-year-old housewife from a venomous snakebite while helping her husband plant rice, leaving behind three children. A child also died in a separate incident in less than ten days, with residents confirming that venomous snakes, including cobras, have been appearing frequently in fields.

In the latest incident, a village in Minya al-Qamh buried the child 'Malak,' who died from a cobra bite near agricultural lands, becoming the third victim in a short period in the same district.

The successive incidents have sparked panic among farmers and villagers, who confirmed that the appearance of snakes and venomous reptiles has become more frequent than usual, coinciding with a significant rise in temperatures, which drives snakes out of their burrows in drains and muddy areas in search of moisture.

Residents have called on the Ministries of Agriculture, Environment, and Health to intervene urgently by conducting extensive campaigns to combat snakes in drains and fields surrounding residential areas, alongside enhancing awareness and prevention measures to help reduce the recurrence of such incidents and protect the lives of farmers and children.