Guwahati, Sept. 23 -- A suspected neurotoxic snakebite left a young tea-garden worker in Assam's Sivasagar district paralysed and struggling to breathe, but timely airway management and prolonged ventilation helped her survive the life-threatening envenomation.

The woman was bitten on her foot at around 11.30am on September 16 while working in a tea garden. According to the patient and her co-workers, the snake appeared completely white after she accidentally stepped on it.

She was brought to Demow Community Health Centre (CHC) around 50 minutes after the incident.

Initially, the bite did not appear severe. She had neither significant swelling nor clearly visible fang marks. When medical staff showed her photographs of venomous snakes ...