In a quiet village on the outskirts of Kharga, Walid Mansour never expected that an ordinary evening would end with a scorpion sting forcing him to rush to the nearest hospital. His story was not unique; just a few meters away, a woman in her fifties and a thirteen-year-old girl shared the same experience, a scene that has become familiar these days in the New Valley Governorate.

For weeks, the longstanding relationship between desert dwellers and their reptilian neighbors has turned into what seems like an open confrontation.

Dangerous 'Tareesha' scorpions and snakes, which locals had learned to coexist with cautiously, are now invading homes and fields in an unprecedented way, causing dozens of injuries and raising questions about this sudden behavior.

Figures Reveal the Scale of the Phenomenon

It is no longer isolated incidents causing concern, but a recurring pattern. In just two days, Tuesday and Wednesday, five people, including two children, were injured by scorpion and snake bites in the New Valley centers.

Reviewing the numbers over the past month paints a clearer picture: about 74 injuries since the beginning of June, distributed between the Kharga and Dakhla centers.

At the Farafra Central Hospital, doctors received several cases, most notably a 47-year-old man and a 53-year-old woman with separate scorpion stings, while a 15-year-old child was transferred to Kharga hospitals after being bitten by a 'Tareesha' snake, one of the most dangerous venomous reptiles in the region.

When Did the Desert Become a Threat?

A doctor at the Dakhla General Hospital says that what is happening is completely unusual. The New Valley, despite being one of the Egyptian governorates with the most venomous reptiles, locals were accustomed to only one or two cases a week, and sometimes weeks pass without any injury, thanks to the inherited expertise of residents in dealing with these creatures.

But the equation changed with the sharp rise in temperatures, according to the doctor, who believes that scorpions and snakes living in dry areas started moving towards more humid places, such as homes, fields, and drainage canals, seeking cooler refuge.

He explains that dealing with scorpion stings has become relatively easier thanks to available antivenoms, while cobra and Tareesha bites remain the most dangerous, as delayed first aid can kill the victim within a short time.

Not the First Time

A source at the Governorate General Office reveals that the crisis is not recent. The wave began about two weeks ago, with nearly 74 injuries recorded since the beginning of June. On June 27 alone, four people were injured, including a four-year-old child.

The source confirms that the Health and Population Directorate in the governorate prepared for this scenario by providing ample quantities of antivenom serums in all 62 rural health units and seven hospitals, as part of a state of constant alert imposed by the desert nature of the province every summer, especially with the current heat waves.

When the Stranger Attacks What It Does Not Know

Dr. Mahmoud Radwan, a wildlife and reptile expert, says that what is happening is 'unusual but justified'—the extreme heat drives reptiles to escape their hideouts in search of a more moderate environment.

However, the real danger, according to Radwan, lies not only in the reptiles themselves but in the knowledge gap between regions.

While the people of the New Valley know how to coexist with their scorpion and snake neighbors for generations, residents of villages in the Nile Delta, such as Sharqia and Qalyubia, do not have the same experience, making them more vulnerable if the phenomenon extends to their areas.

Radwan offers practical advice for anyone who gets bitten: immobilize the victim and prevent any excessive movement, immediately remove rings and watches, head straight to the nearest hospital or emergency point, while avoiding common mistakes such as trying to suck out the venom, cutting the bite site, or tying the affected limb. Panic and movement, as he explains, accelerate the heartbeat, hastening the spread of venom in the body. Gently wash the bite site with soap and water and keep it in an upright and comfortable position until the victim reaches medical care.

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