India has the highest population in the world (1.4 billion). It also has a diverse distribution of snakes. Home to more than 300 species of snakes where 67 are from the venomous category. However only 16 species have reported human fatalities with the big four, namely the Spectacled Cobra, Common Krait, Russell’s viper and Saw scaled viper being responsible for maximum deaths and disabilities. A 2020 study puts the annual snakebite deaths in India to 58,000.
Culturally, there are many myths and dogmas around snakes and snakebites. Most rural families choose to indulge in faith healing. In such a scenario, the actual number of people dying without reporting to a hospital may be quite substantial.
The big four occur in the agricultural landscape close to human habitations. It is therefore imperative that the people living and working closer to the soil come in contact with the big four venomous snakes more frequently and get bitten.