Annual snakebite death toll significantly higher than previously estimated
A new study analyzing data from dozens of countries estimates that the global mortality rate from snakebites is dramatically higher than accepted official figures. Experts warn that the problem is particularly severe in rural areas and developing countries suffering from a lack of accessible medical care.
Venomous snakebites can be fatal on a much larger scale than commonly thought: a new study estimates that between 274,000 and 513,000 people die each year as a result of envenomation following a snakebite. This is a significantly higher number than the World Health Organization (WHO) estimate, which stands at 81,410 to 137,880 deaths per year. The researchers emphasize that even their low estimate may be conservative.
The study, published in the scientific journal PLOS Medicine, was conducted by researchers from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in the UK and the University of Kelaniya in Sri Lanka. The researchers examined scientific literature and data on snakebites in 79 countries, published between January 2007 and March 2025. They then used geostatistical models—models that allow for the estimation of a phenomenon even in areas where there is no direct data—to calculate the scale of bites and deaths in different countries.
According to the study, between 2.1 million and 7 million people experience envenomation following a snakebite each year. The problem is particularly severe in poor countries and rural areas, where access to medical care is limited. The researchers note that the lack of data precisely in the areas where bites are most common may cause official figures to miss a significant portion of cases.
The gap is particularly noticeable in sub-Saharan Africa. According to the study, the region is responsible for about 45% of envenomation and death cases resulting from snakebites globally, with an estimate of 124,000 to 232,000 deaths per year. Bite rates in the region are almost three times higher than in South Asia.
India is also at the center of the phenomenon. According to the data presented in the study, between 38,000 and 70,000 deaths from snakebites occur in the country each year. It is followed by Nigeria with 30,000 to 55,000 deaths, Pakistan with 27,000 to 50,000, and Congo with 21,000 to 39,000. In total, 20 countries are responsible for about three-quarters of envenomation cases and more than three-quarters of deaths globally resulting from snakebites.
The study also points to a heavy toll that does not end with death. The researchers estimate that at least 825,000 cases of severe physical disability occur each year following venomous bites, and that lasting disability is about three times more common than deaths.
"Snakebite envenomation is a much larger global crisis than previously recognized," the researchers state.
They emphasize that the findings point to a need for improved prevention, case tracking, access to antivenoms, and medical care, especially in the most severely affected areas.
