During her holiday at a resort near Paphos, in western Cyprus, to celebrate her 40th birthday, Sam West, a British tourist, encountered a frightening ordeal.
While preparing to step onto a meditation platform at the Atlantica Aphrodite Hills Hotel on April 3, she was bitten by a large venomous snake, believed to be a blunt-nosed viper, measuring about 5 feet in length.
“I barely had a moment to react before it bit me just above my left ankle,” recounted Ms. West. “The pain was immediate, a burning sensation coursing through my leg,” she shared with the BBC.
Rushed to the hospital, Ms. West underwent treatment with anti-venom. Following four days in intensive care and another day in a regular ward, she was discharged. Now reliant on a wheelchair for mobility, she’s facing the added challenge of securing accommodation with disabled access, at a cost of €310 (£260) per night, hoping her insurance will cover expenses and facilitate her return to Britain.
Ms. West noted that the hotel has taken measures such as trimming vegetation around the meditation area and relocating yoga activities to a dance studio. TUI, her travel company, has pledged full support, stating they are in direct contact with her.
Blunt-nosed vipers, Macrovipera lebetinus, are not exclusive to Cyprus but are also found across North Africa and the Middle East. These snakes, known for their potency, can grow up to two meters in length. The Ministry of Defence advises immediate first-aid and medical assistance in case of a bite due to their venom’s toxicity.
Described as “the bad boy of the island’s snakes,” the blunt-nosed viper is acknowledged as the only potentially lethal snake in Cyprus, although fatalities are exceedingly rare, according to a local travel website. A study in the Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology reveals that about 40 people are hospitalized annually due to venomous snakebites on Cyprus, with only two reported deaths between 2000 and 2018. The majority of incidents occur between April and October, with Paphos, the popular holiday destination in the west of the island, posing the highest risk for snake encounters, particularly among tourists.
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