Snakebites far deadlier than official data shows: up to 7 million envenomings and 513,000 deaths a year, study estimates

Key takeaways

• A study in PLOS Medicine estimates 2.1 million to 7 million people suffer snake envenoming (a bite that injects venom) every year.
• Annual deaths are estimated at 274,000 to 513,000 — much higher than earlier figures.
• Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for about 45% of global envenomings and deaths; rural South Asia is also badly affected.
• More than 800,000 survivors a year may be left with long-term disabilities such as amputations.
• The WHO aims to halve snakebite deaths and disability by 2030; the authors say country-level maps can show where antivenom is needed most.

This article is for general information and is not medical advice. In a snakebite emergency, go to the nearest hospital immediately.

What the study did

Researchers from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, the University of Kelaniya in Sri Lanka and partners reviewed studies on snakebites in 79 countries published between January 2007 and March 2025. Because more than half of the countries with dangerous snakes do not keep reliable counts, the team built a statistical model that combines real case data with climate, the number of snake species and social and economic factors to estimate cases where records are missing.

The model gives a "low" and a "high" estimate for each country. The paper was published on 25 August, and the authors explained its findings in an article for The Conversation on 12 October.

The numbers

The authors write that people in sub-Saharan Africa are envenomed and die at nearly three times the rate seen in South Asia. They name Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ethiopia among high-burden countries.

Why the official numbers are so low

According to the researchers:

• In rural sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, many victims live hours from a clinic and have no transport.
• Some go to traditional healers, so their cases never reach national health statistics.
• Effective antivenom can be costly or completely unavailable.
• Farm workers often labour in open fields without protective boots and walk unlit footpaths at night.

The authors note that similar conditions exist in parts of Asia.

What the researchers want

They say mapping high-risk hotspots can help governments and health partners:

• Stock antivenom where it is needed most.
• Train primary health workers in high-burden rural areas.
• Improve transport to health facilities.

The study also has limits: it depends on the amount and quality of existing data, and the authors say the true number is likely under-reported.

What happens next

The WHO's target is to halve snakebite deaths and disability by 2030. The authors hope their country estimates will be used to set priorities, place antivenom and track progress toward that goal.