Mumbai: Maharashtra recorded the most number of snakebite cases in the country last year as per figures available with the central government.

The state  recorded 19,012 cases from rural areas and 5,425 cases from urban spaces. There are 216 species of snakes in India, of which 52 are venomous, with kraits, cobras, saw-scaled and carpet viper being the major ones.

Last year, from April to December, around 1,61,478 cases of snakebites were reported from across India. Of these, Maharashtra accounted for 33,673 cases of snakebites. In the state, the maximum number of cases were reported from Nashik, followed by Palghar and Thane districts.

Dr Nishigandha Naik, the Director of Haffkine Research Institute (HRI), said, “There’s been an average of 116 snakebite cases per day over the past 10 months in the state and still people are unaware. The awareness for tackling snake bites is must, especially in rural areas,” she said. Dr Naik also added, “As a precautionary measure, sleeping on the ground, walking barefoot in grassy areas and open defecation should be avoided.”

Medicos highlighted the fact that snakebite emergencies needed to be identified as disease.

Cases of snakebite or deaths due to snakebites mostly go unreported. It can be notified only when reporting becomes compulsory for all state and civic-run  medical
centres, and hospitals from cities.