An Amazon delivery driver is hospitalized “in very serious condition” following an encounter with a highly venomous rattlesnake on the job.
The woman, whose name and age have not been released, was walking toward the porch to set down the package when an Eastern Diamondback rattlesnake “coiled” by the Palm City home’s front door “struck” her in the back of the leg above the knee, CBS News reported.
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An estimated 7,000-8,000 people are bitten by venomous snakes annually; about five of those people die, though fatalities would increase significantly if people didn’t receive medical care, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The Eastern Diamondback, which the sheriff’s office said is “very common” in the area where the driver was, has enough venom to fill a martini glass and kill five people, CBS Miami reported earlier.
After being bitten, the driver became ill and called 911; dispatchers were able to use GPS coordinates to pinpoint her location and send an ambulance to transport her to the hospital, officials said, per CBS.
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“Our thoughts are with the driver and we hope for a full recovery after this frightening incident. Together, with the Delivery Service Partner, we’re looking into the circumstances surrounding this incident and continue to make sure that drivers understand they should not complete a delivery if they feel unsafe,” Branden Baribeau, an Amazon spokesperson, told the outlet.