India experiences the highest number of snake attacks globally, with an estimated 409,000 to 1.3 million incidents annually, according to a study by scientists at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. The research, published in PLOS Medicine, indicates that snake envenoming remains a significant public health issue worldwide.
Globally, researchers estimate that between 2.1 and 7 million people are bitten by snakes each year, leading to an estimated 274,000 to 513,000 deaths. The study suggests that previous estimates may have significantly underestimated the scale of the problem, with the true burden potentially being much higher.
Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for approximately 45% of global envenomings and deaths, a rate nearly three times higher than that observed in South Asia. Low-income countries, in general, exhibit the highest incidence and mortality rates associated with snake bites.
Nigeria follows India with an estimated 198,000 to 666,000 snake bites annually. Other countries with high numbers of incidents include Indonesia with 490,000 and the Democratic Republic of the Congo with 467,000. Brazil, Vietnam, and China also feature in the top 20 countries for snake attacks, with Brazil reporting between 48,000 and 162,000 incidents per year.
The study analyzed data from 79 countries between January 2007 and March 2025 to compile these estimates. Researchers noted that accurate, up-to-date data on snake envenoming has historically been scarce, making it difficult to quantify the global burden.
While Australia is often perceived as a country with abundant wildlife, it does not rank among the top 20 nations for snake attacks, according to this study. The findings highlight the critical need for enhanced public health interventions and data collection in regions most affected by snake bites.