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Missing Australian woman found alive with snakebite wound

Posted on by L. Dreeye
Missing Australian woman found alive with snakebite wound

A missing woman in Australia is lucky to be alive after being bitten by a snake.

The woman, whose identity has not been released, has been missing from the Snowy Mountains region since October 21. She was found on October 27, New South Wales (NSW) Police said.

The Monaro Police District, part of NSW Police, received a report of a missing 48-year-old woman on October 21. Multiple emergency services were assisting in the search for the woman, police said.

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“Lucky to be alive”

On October 27, NSW Police said the woman was found on the Noongar Creek Trail in Kiandra by a National Parks and Wildlife Service officer at about 4:50 p.m. local time. When the woman was found, she was injured, police said.

NSW Ambulance paramedics treated the woman’s wound from a suspected snake bite, police said. They also said she was then transported to Qomah District Hospital and was in stable condition.

“She reports she was bitten by a copperhead four days before she was found, had sprained her ankle and was suffering from dehydration,” Monaro District Police Superintendent Toby Lindsay told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Superintendent Lindsay told the news outlet that about 30 people searched the area daily until the woman was found.

“She’s actually very lucky to be alive and we’re glad she did,” Lindsay told the news outlet. “Obviously she’s been through some tough times.”

An investigation at a car repair shop has reportedly led to the search for a missing woman.

The search for the woman began after the car service company contacted New South Wales Police, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.

The news outlet’s report said the car service company called police after the vehicle had not been moved for six days, and that the vehicle’s return deadline had also expired.

The woman was last seen in the car on October 15, the newspaper reports.

Copperhead snakes

The woman was bitten by a copperhead snake, which toxicology reports indicate is venomous.

If someone is bitten by a snake, it can cause “local pain, swelling, redness, bruising and blistering, as well as systemic symptoms such as low blood pressure and bleeding,” the center said.

According to the Australian Museum, copperheads are found in the relatively cool and cold conditions of southeastern Australia.

The museum said that these snakes usually appear earlier in the fall than in the spring and summer.

Ajane Forbes is a reporter for USA TODAY’s National Trends Team. Ajane covers breaking news, car recalls, crime, food recalls, health care, lotteries and public policy. Write to her at [email protected]. Follow her on Instagram, Threads and X (Twitter) @forbesfinest.