In yet another sad incident reaching Zwnews, media reports from the ancient province of Masvingo indicate that a 7-year old girl from Gutu district died three hours after she was bitten by an unidentified snake while herding donkeys.
As the regional Mirror reported, the deceased juvenile has been identified as Linda Mahachi, from Nyazvidzi in Gutu district.
Eyewitnesses told the press that the ‘unkown snake’ was black in colour.
It is also reported that the female toddler was a Grade One pupil at a school in the said village.
Linda’s demise comes hard on the heels of increased cases of snake bite fatalities in the area.
Nyazvidzi counts amongst some of the most underdeveloped rural areas in the district characterized by impassazble roads, lack of ambulances and drugs at the local clinics.
Linda becomes the second person from the district to succumb to a snake bite in a space of two months, as per the Mirror.
Increased cases of fatalities are worsened by impassable roads inaccessible by ordinary cars and it is therefore difficult for villagers to take relatives to hospitals.
During the time of death, Linda was herding donkeys with Robert, a cousin also in Grade 1.
She cried out that she had been bitten and Robert told her to jump away as the snake was preparing to strike for the second time.
They ran home and her maternal grandmother, Irene Kandoro took her to a traditional healer because Chatikobo, the nearest clinic is 10km away. She died minutes after taking the herbs.
She was buried at Uchuchu Village under Chief Maburuse in Gutu.
Mahachi appealed to Government to intervene because of escalating snake bite related deaths. He said some people died because it took long to get them to hospitals.
He appealed to Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife to assist in any way they can including creating awareness about snakes. mirror.
Zwnews
