15 cases of snakebite for two months, HCWs without serum doses
NEWS
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1 months ago
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With the rise in temperatures, the number of people bitten by snakes in Kosovo has also increased. During the last two months, 15 people have sought medical help at the Infectious Diseases Clinic of the University Clinical Center of Kosovo (QKUK). Some of these cases have been hospitalized, and some others have been treated with anti-venom serum.
Meanwhile, in the Main Centers of Family Medicine in Prishtina, Deçan and Gjilan say that they do not have any dose of anti-venom serum in cases of snakebite, for which they stress that in such cases they send patients for treatment to regional hospitals, because of therapy sensitivity. They say that during these months no case of snake bite has been reported.
The director of the Infectious Diseases Clinic at KKUK, Arben Vishaj, tells KosovaPress that out of the 15 cases presented, 6 of them had indications for hospitalization and the other 9 were only given antivenom serum in outpatient conditions. Vishaj emphasized that they have enough therapy to treat such cases.
The head of the KKMF in Prishtina, Valdet Hashani, tells KosovaPress that they do not have doses of this serum, to which he adds that due to possible complications, the therapy for snakebite is given in regional and tertiary hospitals. He says that not a single case has been registered in Prishtina's CMFs.
Likewise, the specialist at the HCMF in Deçan, Xhavit Rabushkaj, says that neither last year nor during these months of this year, they have confirmed any case of snakebite. Rabushkaj indicates that they are not supplied with the specific serum, although according to him the request has been made.
Even the director of the KKMF in Gjilan, Basri Kamberi, says that they do not have anti-venom, adding that they have not received any patients with snake bites. Until the vaccination center in this municipality, they show that they have two or three doses of this serum.
While the director of the KKMF in Skenderaj, Bashkim Nura, says that they have a serum in case of need.
The National Institute of Public Health of Kosovo (IKSHPK) in an email response to KosovaPress has announced that they possess sufficient amounts of serum in cases of snake bites. According to the IKSHPK, every KKMF that has made a request has been supplied with serums.
"There are enough serums at the IKSHPK, which are used in cases of snake bites. The central pharmacy of SHSKUK/QKUK is supplied with serums, as well as every KKMF that has made a request for supplies of serums, is supplied. IKSHPK has sufficient amounts of serums to cover the year 2024, and has made a request to cover the needs for 2025 as well", emphasizes IKSHPK.
A few days ago, the IKSHPK showed the symptoms after a snake bite and gave recommendations on how to act. This institute has announced that four species of snakes live in Kosovo, including the poisonous species Vipera ammodytes (stone snake, viper).