A British father was blinded and paralyzed in a hospital after being bitten by a snake while fighting the coronavirus, his family said.
Ian Jones is in intensive care after being bitten by a black king cobra in a village in the northwest of the country.
A former healthcare worker who lives on the Isle of Wight, he spent several months in India where he ran Sabrian, a charitable-backed social enterprise aimed at trading on the path to poverty.
The black king cobra that bit Mr. Jones
Mr John’s son Seb said his father had already experienced malaria, dengue fever and covid-19.
He said: “Because of the epidemic he could not travel home and as a family we understood his desire to support many people who depended on him.
“Although we were naturally concerned about him and then when we heard that he was usually a deadly snake bite on top of what he had done, we couldn’t really believe it.
“It’s really touched and gone. He’s stable at the moment. Although he has paralysis of his legs and blindness, we both hope for a while. But it’s clear he’ll have to stay in the hospital for a while.
“We are extremely grateful to his colleagues there who shone and gathered around him in his time of need, as he did for them.”
The Isle of Wight has set up a community action owned by Saberia GoFundMe Fundraising page to cut Mr. Jones’ medical expenses.
Saberians help about 70 Indian artisans, aged 18-87, by training them to import and sell their crafts and furniture in the UK in a sustainable and ethical way.