Elderly Yorkeys Knob man bitten by taipan
A man is fighting for his life after a close encounter with a dangerous snake.
A Cairns man is in a critical condition after being bitten by a large taipan last night.
The 77-year-old went into cardiac arrest after the 1.5-metre snake bit him in the living room of his Yorkeys Knob home.
Authorities say the man was trying to kill the snake when he was struck between the toes causing a rapid injection of venom.
The man went into cardiac arrest but was resuscitated by paramedics who treated him with anti-venom at the scene.
He is currently in intensive care at Cairns Base Hospital.
The snake is now dead.
A 77 year old Man taken in critical condition to #Cairns Base Hospital after reported snake bite Cathy Street, #Yorkeys Knob.
— Queensland Ambulance (@QldAmbulance) December 20, 2016
Coastal taipans are one of the most venomous snake's in the world. Their venom affects the nervous system and the blood's ability to clot.
Victims can experience headaches, nausea, vomiting, convulsions, paralysis, internal bleeding, destruction of muscle tissue and kidney damage as a result of a strike.
