A young Nigerian singer, Ifunanya Nwangene, has reportedly passed away after a snakebite in her Abuja residence.
The former The Voice Nigerian contestant, according to several reports, despite transporting herself to different hospitals after the snake bite, was unable to get prompt treatment.
Popularly known as Nanya (her stage name), is a “super-talented and powerful vocalist”. The unfortunate incident has sparked a widespread reaction from netizens.
2,000 people die from snake bites in Nigeria annually
A 2021 statistics quoted by the then Minister of state for health, Olorunnimbe Mamora, indicated that an average of 20,000 cases of snake bites are recorded in Nigeria every year.
Mamora confirmed that about 2,000 people die from snakebites annually, and over 1,700 lose their legs or arms as a result of snake bites.
Snake species responsible for envenomation in Nigeria
He disclosed that there are three main types of snake species responsible for snakebite “poisoning”, known as envenomation, in Nigeria.
“The Cobra or Naja nigricolis, the Puff Adder or Bitis arietans, and the Carpet Viper or Echis ocellatus.
“The Carpet Viper is the one responsible for most, about 90 per cent of bites and 60 per cent of snakebite deaths,” he said.
States with the most snakebite cases in Nigeria
Snake bite cases are usually on the rise during excessive rainfall, which invariably results in more morbidity and mortality. Unfortunately, Nigeria is among the countries worst affected by snake bites, reaching epidemic proportions.
Nigerian states with the most cases of snakebite in Nigeria are Gombe, Plateau, Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Nasarawa, Enugu, Kogi, Kebbi, Oyo, Benue, and Taraba.
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