A British woman had a frightening experience while holidaying in Cyprus, as she found herself in the hospital after being bitten by a venomous snake.
Sam West who was celebrating her 40th birthday with her wife Kate earlier this month, was relaxing and meditating when a 5ft blunt-nosed viper struck her leg.
“It quickly, before I had time to react, bit me just above my left ankle,” Sam recounted.
“I started to shake the snake off as I shouted that I had just been bitten by a snake. My leg was burning and throbbing, the pain was instantaneous,”
Sam, hailing from Shifnal Shropshire, was staying at the Atlantica Aphrodite Hills resort.
Instead of enjoying her holiday, she spent five days in the hospital before being discharged last Monday.
Due to her injury, she now relies on a wheelchair, which has led to additional expenses for a room with disabled access, costing £260 per night.
Currently, Sam and her wife are awaiting updates from their insurance company regarding their return home.
The severity of her injury initially prevented her from flying, with doctors advising against it until today.
Sam expressed gratitude towards the TUI staff at the hotel who promptly took action by clearing vegetation around the meditation area and relocating meditation sessions indoors to ensure the safety of guests.
Blunt-nosed vipers are among the three venomous snake species found in Cyprus, along with cat snakes and eastern Montpellier snakes.
Moreover, bites from blunt-nosed vipers cause excruciating pain and can lead to severe illness, and in some cases, fatalities.
These snakes are typically active during the day, though they may change their behaviour in summer, becoming more active in the mornings and evenings.
While Sam has been discharged from the hospital, her recovery journey continues, with hopes of soon being deemed fit to fly back home.
