A 10-year-old girl in Australia was hospitalized on Monday night after sustaining "two massive bites" from a deadly snake while in bed.
The child urgently required anti-venom and was transferred to a local hospital by St John Ambulance paramedics who were called to a home in Desert Springs, a suburb of the Northern Territory town of Alice Springs, at approximately 10 p.m. on Monday.
She was found to have been bitten on both feet by a mulga snake, also known as a king brown, estimated to be more than three feet in length by a local snake catcher.
Paul Bellman, a regional manager at St John Ambulance, told ABC News the child is in stable condition after being admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) of Alice Springs Hospital. He said the snake likely attacked after it was interrupted from its sleep.
According to Bellman, the young victim had been suffering from nausea and vomiting as paramedics arrived, and he praised the first aid response from her parents.
He said: "They started pressure immobilization bandages, and got her well away from the snake, and tried to keep her as calm as possible. They did everything perfectly." The child is recovering at the medical facility, and would remain there for "some time."
A local snake catcher called Rex Neindorf, who was called to the scene by the emergency services, told ABC the child likely made contact with the deadly reptile with one of her feet, causing the bite. The second bite possible occurred as she then reacted.
Neindorf said the species is well-documented as being quite "aggressive" and having a "savage" bite if provoked or under duress, and it has toxic venom in its jaws.
A species profile published by Australia's Queensland Museum says king browns are the country's largest venomous snake, known to reach lengths of up to nine feet.
"This is a dangerously venomous species with strongly haemotoxic venom. It is a ready biter and has been responsible for human deaths. If bitten, apply first aid and seek urgent medical attention," the Queensland Museum description reads.
The snake expert said humid weather was to blame for an increasing amount of snake encounters. "When you get raised humidity ... the snakes just go berserk," he said.
In a statement to Wild Conservation, Neindorf said it had been an unprecedented call-out, and also praised the calm reaction from the wounded girl's family.
The expert wrangler said: "We were called to the house by the emergency paramedics who were attending a snake bite incident. A 10-year-old child jumped into bed and unbeknownst to her, this Mulga was under the sheets at the base of her bed.
From Rex Neindorf, the NT catcher who attended the call. This King Brown Snake was found in a child's bed after biting the 10 year old on the feet."We couldn’t say much last night when this was...
"As she stretched her legs out she accidentally came into contact with the snake and it bit her. She received two massive bites to both feet and was heavily envenomated requiring AV upon arrival at emergency... She is still in hospital but is recovering well. Have been catching snakes for over 30 years and have never had a callout like it."
