Boy, 8, bitten by snake while herding cattle

KwaZulu Natal - A boy herding cattle in Weneen was bitten by a snake, Kwazulu Natal Emergency Medical Services said on Sunday.

“The eight-year-boy had reportedly been part of a group who had been herding cattle, when the snake bit him through his shoe,” said spokesperson Robert McKenzie in a statement.

“The paramedics had to reassure and calm the boy who was extremely anxious, while transporting him to hospital.”

McKenzie said the boy had arrived at the hospital for treatment, “fortunately before any possible effects from the bite had started to manifest”.

He said that although the snake was only identified as green in colour, "the locals on the farm say they are well accustomed to encountering green mambas on the farm which has a rocky topography”.

The public were urged to watch out for snakes with the arrival of summer where reptiles become active.