Girl, 5, bitten by spitting cobra

2011-12-22 10:31

Johannesburg - A 5-year-old girl is in a serious condition and could lose part of her hand after she was bitten by a Mozambique spitting cobra in Lephalale in Limpopo, according to a report on Thursday.

Mikayla Robbertse was going to sleep on Monday night when she was bitten by the snake in her bed, Beeld newspaper reported.

According to the girl's grandmother, Charmaine, the family heard Robbertse scream and her father rushed to the room and saw the snake.

The grandparents then picked up Robbertse and drove her to the hospital while her father Bertus and a neighbour found the snake and killed it.

"We knew he had to find out what sort of snake it was so that the right anti-venom could be given," said the grandmother.

On the way to the hospital Robbertse went into shock and her body jerked. At one stage, while in hospital, her kidneys also began to fail.

However, on Wednesday her family told the newspaper that she was out of danger and might be able to go home soon.

She might, however, need further operations on her hand.

- SAPA