A leisurely night stroll became traumatic for a family after their two-year-old daughter was bitten by a snake.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force said it received a call for assistance at 1 Empress Place, the address of the Asian Civilisations Museum, at about 10.25pm last Sunday (Oct 4).
A person was taken to KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
The family are tourists from China, according to media reports. A family member said that they were walking on the footpath outside the museum when the incident happened.
“After the child was bitten, the wound immediately became red and swollen, and she kept crying in pain,” the woman recounted.
The family said they called emergency services for help and subsequently alerted the authorities to capture the snake.
According to them, the girl was placed under observation at the hospital.
Snake likely a reticulated python: NParks
National Parks Board (NParks) group director of wildlife management How Choon Beng said the agency was alerted to the snake bite incident.
“A survey of the area was carried out immediately but no snake was located,” he said.
“NParks will continue to monitor the area and relocate any snakes sighted.”
Mr How said that based on photographs, the snake is likely to be a reticulated python, which is non-venomous.
The native species can occasionally be encountered in urban areas and generally pose little threat to humans, especially if undisturbed.
He advised members of the public who encounter a snake to observe from a safe distance, stay calm, and back away slowly.
One should immediately seek medical attention if bitten by a snake.
The public should not attempt to handle the snake. The snake should be left alone, especially if it is in its natural habitat. ASIAONE
