Kerala High Court notes snakebite fatalities on decline, gives State time to finalise guidelines

The Kerala High Court on Monday granted the State government four weeks time to finalise guidelines on preventing and treating snakebite incidents across the State [Kulathoor Jaisingh v State of Kerala & ors].

The Bench of Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Shoba Annamma Eapen also noted that there has been a decline in snakebite fatalities in Kerala.

According to data placed on record by the State, the number of deaths due to snakebites in Kerala had decreased from 71 in 2019–20 to 31 in 2024–25, while the number of persons treated for snakebites varied across the years, with 5,322 cases in 2020; 3,412 in 2021; 279 in 2022; 5,135 in 2023, and 6,664 in 2024.

"Number of snake bite deaths in Kerala last five years has also been placed and though the number of persons in treatment seem to vary the data shows decline in the fatalities from the year 2019- 20 of 71  to 2024-2025 as 31.", the Court noted.

The Court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking directions to the government to ensure the availability of pediatric ICUs and ventilators in government hospitals across the State.

The petition was filed in the wake of the 2019 incident in which a 10-year-old girl, Shehala Sherin, died after being bitten by a snake and did not receive timely antivenom treatment, allegedly due to a lack of proper facilities at the Sultan Bathery Taluk Hospital in Wayanad.

During yesterday's hearing, the government told the Court that the Health Department had prepared draft guidelines on the prevention and treatment of snakebite incidents. The same has been forwarded to the Additional Chief Secretary on July 27, 2025, for coordination and consultation with other departments, the State added.

The General Education Department had also issued a letter on July 25, 2025, with draft suggestions on snakebite awareness and prevention, particularly in schools.

The Court proceeded to grant the State four weeks time to finalise such guidelines.

"As regards the request for time to hold meeting and finalise guidelines we grant four weeks time. Other departments involved in this exercise will submit their suggestions to the chief secretary at the earliest so that guidelines can be finalized," the Court ordered.

The government pleader yesterday informed the Court that a meeting would be convened by the Chief Secretary to coordinate inputs from all stakeholders, including the Forest Department, the Local Self Government Department, the Institute of Virology, and the National Health Mission.

The Court directed that suggestions from the petitioners, the amicus curiae, and intervenors should also be submitted in writing to the office of the Advocate General, who could then forward the same to the Chief Secretary for further consideration.

The matter will be taken up next on August 26, 2025.

The petitioner, Kulathoor Jaisingh, was represented by advocate R Gopan.

Advocate G Biju has been appointed as the Amicus Curiae.

Government Pleader KR Ranjith appeared for the State.

[Read Live Coverage]