Snake bites man crossing unlawfully into United States, putting him in Texas hospital

A Central American man intent on sneaking into the United States was bitten by a snake along the border and ended up in the emergency room at a Texas hospital, according to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.

The species of snake was not revealed, but there are 10 species of venomous rattlesnakes in Texas, along with copperheads, cottonmouths and coral snakes, Texas Parks & Wildlife says.

Border patrol agents say the bite victim was rescued at 11 p.m. Sunday, July 17, near Falfurrias, about 60 miles southwest of Corpus Christi.

“Agents apprehended a group of five migrants unlawfully in the U.S. from Mexico and Central America. A migrant from Guatemala informed the agents he had been bitten by an unknown type of snake,” officials said in a news release.

“An emergency medical technician agent assessed the subject and immediately requested emergency medical services. The subject was transported to a nearby location where he was airlifted to a hospital and administered anti-venom protocols.”

Rattlesnake bites can be fatal if victims have an allergic reaction, experts say. The venom can cause “swelling, bruising, bleeding, or blistering” and progress to “nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea” and difficulty breathing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Details of the bite victim’s condition were not released.

The U.S. Border Patrol says it has “made more than a thousand rescues this fiscal year,” most of them related to extreme heat.

Snake bites are less common, but include at least two cases in 2020 and one in 2016 involving a man who was abandoned in the desert by other migrants after he was bitten by a venomous snake. He was in critical condition when found by border agents, suffering symptoms of the venom and heatstroke, according to a news release.

Border patrol officials say the dangers facing illegal migrants are made worse when they depend on smugglers who are apt to abandon injured people.

“Do not place your lives in the hands of smugglers who are only interested in making a profit,” Acting Chief Patrol Agent Joel Martinez said in the release.

This story was originally published July 19, 2022 at 2:34 PM with the headline "Snake bites man crossing unlawfully into United States, putting him in Texas hospital."