Alappuzha (Kerala) | Another snakebite death has been reported in Kerala, with a 66-year-old woman dying after being bitten by a snake near her house here, police said on Saturday.

This is the fifth snakebite fatality reported in Kerala in the past week.

The deceased was identified as Indira S, a resident of Vaisyambagam near Champakulam.

According to police, Indira was bitten by an Indian spectacled cobra outside her house at around 5.30 pm on Friday.

Though she was rushed to Alappuzha Medical College Hospital in Vandanam and administered anti-venom, she succumbed to the bite at around 9 pm, police said.

Nedumudy police have registered a case of unnatural death.

The body will be handed over to relatives after the post-mortem examination.

In the past week, snakebite deaths have been reported from Thiruvananthapuram, Alappuzha and Thrissur districts, with people, including children, losing their lives.

The health department recently held a meeting regarding the rising number of snakebite cases and directed government hospitals to ensure proper treatment for such patients.

Experts have warned that snakes may venture closer to houses during the summer due to rising temperatures, in search of shade, cooler surroundings and rodents.