Usually one of the first things people think about when they encounter a snake is running away from it. Not far behind would be what would happen if the snake bit them and how venomous is the bite?

Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. A 7-year-old boy was left nursing a head wound after an encounter with a seemingly harmless snake took a violent turn.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 4.5 to 5.4 million people globally are bitten by snakes each year, with 81,000 to 138,000 of them dying as a result of complications.