Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
11 June 2012 09:06
A spider suspected to be a new species of tarantula in Tinsukia, Assam state, India
Two people have died after a swarm of spiders swept through a secluded area in India.
A further seven villagers have been bitten after the eight-legged creatures invaded. Healthcare professionals at the hospital in Sadiya town said the victims were treated with antibiotics after witch doctors attempted to release the poison by cutting the wound with razor blades.
Officials said this is a dangerous procedure and could cause more harm to the person suffering than the bite of the spider itself. They added that they were unsure whether the venom from the bite caused the death of the two people in the Tinsukia district, or if the locals' treatment was responsible.
According to an expert from Dibrugarh University in Assam, the spiders could be an undiscovered relation of the tarantula family. Ecologist LR Saikia said: "It looks like a new species. We haven't been able to identify it."
The bite victims cannot be administered anti-venom treatment because the new species have not yet been classified, and they cannot receive them until officials identify what type of spiders they are.
Explorers and travellers are advised to take out medical travel insurance in case an attack similar to this happens. Residents in the village are now keeping the area well-lit at night with lamps, while also standing guard to prevent more hairy spiders from invading their huts.
29 September 2016
Tour operator Thomas Cook says its earnings are still being impacted by recent terror attacks.
[more...]
28 September 2016
The English tourism industry is predicted to grow faster than the overall economy every year for the next decade, according to new research.
27 September 2016
Monarch Airlines says its flights are operating as normal amid fears the firm is in financial trouble.
24 September 2016
Slim people who look physically healthy may still be at increased chance of being diagnosed with bowel cancer if they have raised insulin levels, according new research.
23 September 2016
Theresa May is being urged to give the go-ahead for flights to resume between the UK and Sharm el-Sheikh by the head of the cross-party parliamentary group on Egypt.
22 September 2016
Budget airline Jet2.com is to open its first base in the south of England at Stansted.
21 September 2016
Smoking rates have dropped to the lowest level on record in England, new figures show, suggesting messages about the health effects of cigarettes are hitting home.
20 September 2016
Concerns have been raised over flight disruptions caused by heavy drinking among passengers.
17 September 2016
British Airways' decision to launch direct flights from London to Tehran earlier this month positions Iran as one of the hottest destinations to visit in 2017, according to experts.
16 September 2016
More than 100 flights have been cancelled as French air traffic controllers go on strike again.
15 September 2016
Two thirds of MPs would support an expansion at Heathrow.
14 September 2016
TripAdvisor is launching a new homepage, making the booking of holiday activities and tours even easier.