Snake bites on the rise in Georgia
Savannah, Ga. (WTGS) — The number of snake bites reported in Georgia continues to climb, and officials say that number could soon reach record-breaking levels.
Since April 30, the Georgia Poison Center has counted 55 snake bite victims statewide.
That is a big increase from the 33 counted by this time last year, which was record-breaking.
Georgia Department of Natural Resources said there are many factors that could lead to the increase, one of which is the abnormal, not-so-cold winter.
John Jensen with Georgia DNR says there are 46 species of snakes living in Georgia, the second most in the Southeast. However, only six of those species are known to be venomous.
"Not in every part of the state are all six of them in existence. In the Savannah area, you have all six species," Jensen said.
Jensen says, if you are bitten by a snake, don't chase it.
It's also not a good idea to take medicine for the pain or to put ice on it, according to Dr. Gaylord Lopez of the Poison Center.
"There's a lot of pain and swelling associated with bites, but ice is actually shown to move the venom faster," Lopez said.
Jensen said emergency medical help is your best bet in the case of a bite.
"The best first aid is a set of car keys and, ideally, someone else using those keys to drive you to an emergency facility," he said.
