A deadly pattern is beginning to emerge on Southern California trails.
In just a matter of weeks, multiple rattlesnake encounters have turned dangerous, and two people have died after being bitten.
Others have narrowly survived their own harrowing encounters. The incidents are raising new concerns about an uptick in dangerous encounters with venomous snakes.
According to a report from People magazine, a 46-year-old woman died after a bite earlier this month.
Gabriela Bautista was hiking at Wildwood Regional Park in Ventura County on March 14.
According to KTLA, she was bitten just before noon and was airlifted to a hospital, but died five days later, on March 19.
Officials said the cause was rattlesnake venom toxicity.
Her death came as another bite was reported nearby.
A teenage girl was bitten near the Wendy Drive Trailhead in Thousand Oaks, California, on March 20.
First responders reached her on the trail and transported her to a hospital. She survived with minor injuries.
The cluster of incidents does not stop there.
Earlier this year, 18-year-old Julian Hernandez was bitten while mountain biking at the Quail Hill Trailhead in Orange County.
According to KNBC, he attempted to ride to safety. He later fell into a coma and died on March 4.
In total, Ventura County firefighters have responded to four rattlesnake bites since March 14 alone. The county recorded only nine total bites last year. Experts said the danger is real, but preventable.
The University of California noted that rattlesnakes are the only venomous snakes native to the state.
They are typically identified by triangular heads, spotted bodies, and a distinctive rattle.
Despite the alarming headlines, experts stress that panic is not the answer.
Dr. Jeffrey Suchard, an emergency medicine physician and medical toxicologist, advised finding a hospital immediately.
“There is no intervention at the scene of a venomous snakebite that is recommended,” he said.
Suchard warned against common myths, such as cutting open the wound and trying to suck out venom.
Bite victims are told to remain calm and seek medical care as quickly as possible.
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