British social worker survives king cobra bite after beating Covid-19

A Briton social worker who has been coming to India to help local artisans through his charity organisation combated dengue, malaria and coronavirus, and is now recovering from a king cobra bite.

On the evening of November 7, Ian Jones, 70, was bitten by a king cobra at a village near Jodhpur and was rushed to hospital. "He had blurred vision and was not in a condition to walk. Initially, we tested him for Covid but it came out negative. After a line of treatment for snake bite, Jones was back on his feet within a week and was discharged on November 16," says Abhishek Tater, the physician who treated him at Medipulse Hospital, Jodhpur.

As per information, Jones had been coming to Rajasthan to help local artisans sell their wares via his charity institute. However soon after his visit to India this year, he was attacked by dengue. Then, even as he was recovering from dengue, he suffered from malaria. Barely had he recovered from malaria that he was in the grip of Covid-19.

Displaying indomitable spirit, Jones carried on with his work for the charity Sabirian, a social enterprise importing fairly-traded crafts. Working with artisans, he didn't anticipate a King Cobra would also bite him.

As per the website Gofundme, "Ian suffered the potentially fatal bite whilst at his Jodhpur base, where many of the local craftsmen and women that Sabirian supports live and work. He had moved out of the city so that he could continue to provide support during the pandemic and, because of travel restrictions, has been unable to travel home to his family."

Ian had survived a Covid attack in March, but in November the snake bite took matters to a whole new level.

"Owned by Isle of Wight charity Community Action Isle of Wight, Sabirian provides opportunities for around 70 Indian craftspeople aged between 18-87, to help them trade their way out of poverty by providing training and help to import and sell their crafts and furniture in the UK in a sustainable and ethical way. On the Isle of Wight its shop in Newport high street also provides volunteering opportunities for people with additional barriers to employment to gain confidence and helps them on their journey to gain or return to work," it said.

Seb Jones, Ian's son, said: "Dad is a fighter, during his time out in India he had already suffered from malaria and dengue fever even before Covid-19 and yet he had remained resolute in his determination to stay in the country and continue his work help the people that needed his support."

Community Action Isle of Wight and Jones' family have been able to raise over £12,000 on a fundraising site to help cover Ian's hospital fees and travel back to the Isle of Wight in southern England.

• India