Recently, the incident of a 27-year-old woman who was bitten by a snake and died while traveling in Sanya, Hainan, has continued to escalate, drawing wide attention from society. The Health Commission of Sanya City has promised to provide answers to the deceased’s family within five days. However, the family expressed that the wait has been too long and unbearable. If the investigation is not clarified within five days, they may have to consider conducting an autopsy.
On June 3, Mr. Li, a netizen, posted a video on social media claiming that his 27-year-old cousin “Sweet” was bitten by a snake during her trip to Sanya on the evening of June 1. She was treated at both the Sanya Central Hospital and another hospital in Sanya, but unfortunately, she passed away, sparking widespread attention.
Mr. Li told “Red Star News” that the initial misdiagnosis and delayed treatment at Sanya Central Hospital, followed by improper treatment measures at the subsequent Four Two Five Hospital in Sanya, are believed to be key factors leading to the tragedy. The diagnostic report released by Mr. Li showed superficial bite marks on the patient’s right second toe, indicating a suspicion of snake bite along with tetanus immunity, weakness, throat swelling, and acute upper respiratory tract infection.
When the bitten woman began showing complications such as confusion, persistent vomiting, and convulsions, the hospital stated they were unable to continue treatment and had to transfer her to another hospital. By the time she arrived at the second hospital, she had already missed the optimal treatment window. Despite rescue efforts, she was declared dead on the morning of the 2nd.
“From the bite to death in less than ten hours!” the family questioned why the initial hospital failed to identify the snake venom and why the second hospital did not have anti-snake venom serum on hand. These concerns were detailed in their complaint letter.
Mr. Li believes that both hospitals bear undeniable responsibility for the inability to save his cousin. Sanya Central Hospital failed to accurately assess the severity of his cousin’s condition during the initial diagnosis, raising suspicions of misdiagnosis and delayed treatment. Meanwhile, the hospital where she was subsequently treated lacked effective emergency measures due to a chaotic environment, partially delaying the crucial opportunity for administering anti-venom serum, resulting in his cousin missing the golden treatment window.
The incident has garnered widespread attention and discussions after being reported by both domestic and international media outlets.
In response, the Health Commission of Sanya City has formed an investigation team, organizing face-to-face communications between responsible individuals from Sanya Central Hospital, the hospital in question, and other relevant departments with the patient’s family. The investigation team has archived relevant medical records from the two hospitals involved.
According to Jiupai News, on June 4, the deceased’s cousin, Mr. Xu, stated that his cousin’s body is still being preserved in a hospital ward in a refrigerated coffin. Fourteen or fifteen relatives from their hometown rushed to Sanya, with most spending their days at the hospital while some rotate staying overnight and searching for hotels to rest.
Xu mentioned that the relevant personnel from the Health Commission of Sanya City communicated with the family on the evening of June 3, promising to provide an answer within five days. “Just now, my cousin’s boyfriend and doctors from relevant hospitals went to record the scenes and treatment process at the time. If the investigation is not clear within five days, we may have to consider conducting an autopsy.”
“The wait has been too long, and the family is finding it unbearable. Everyone’s emotions are running high. From the moment we received the news of my cousin’s death over the phone, we haven’t slept for two days and nights, can’t eat or sleep,” he said.
Xu mentioned that their family is quite extensive.
Since the incident, the hospital has not definitively determined the type of snake that bit the woman. The woman’s cousin, Mr. Li, stated that if the hospital cannot identify the object that bit his cousin, the family will consider conducting an autopsy.
Furthermore, Mr. Li mentioned that the hospital had administered serum to his cousin, which might lead them to consider that his cousin’s death was possibly due to the hospital’s incorrect use of the serum.
Following the incident, Sanya Central Hospital found itself at the center of public opinion turmoil, with increasing scrutiny revealing the hospital’s past issues.
According to information from the Tianyancha app, risk information about Sanya Central Hospital shows that it has been sued multiple times for medical liability disputes.
In November 2023 and April 2024, the hospital was fined 559,000 yuan and 1.026 million yuan respectively for actions such as overcharging and repeated charges that violated the law.