Five people injured by crocs... in England

THERE’S never a dull moment for the staff of England’s A&E hospitals. But even they must be shocked when cases turn up that look more suited to the tropics.

An analysis of admissions reveals medics have had to deal with everything from alligator bites to scorpion stings – and even illness brought on by simulated space flight.

Statistics f rom NHS Digital, which compiled the information based on the 1.1 million A&E cases in England in 2018-19, show five patients were hospitalised after being ‘bitten or struck’ by a crocodile or alligator (pictured). The same number ended up in hospital beds after being injured by scorpions with an additional 1,185 admitted for hornet, wasp or bee stings.

More than 8,500 were admitted after being attacked by dogs, and 50 after being bitten by rats. A further 59 had come into contact with venomous snakes and lizards, the same number admitted following encounters with spiders. Meanwhile, 485 were hospitalised after suffering injuries caused by plant thorns or sharp leaves, and one patient was admitted after feeling unwell following a ‘ prolonged stay in [a] weightless environment’

– thought to relate to a zero-gravity space simulation flight.

Among DIY enthusiasts, there were 4,856 admissions linked to injuries from power tools and other household machinery. Lawnmower accidents accounted for another 466 cases. Nine cases were recorded of people needing treatment after accidentally suffocating themselves in bed, while 15 were admitted after being struck by lightning.

The analysis also shows more than 12,000 were admitted after falling from a chair and almost 4,000 had hurt themselves while using sports equipment. Similar numbers were admitted after injuring themselves skiing, roller-skating, skateboarding or ice-skating.

There were also 729 cases of shooting victims being admitted to hospital, although just 136 were classified as being ‘attacks’.

More than 100,000 patients had injured themselves after ‘slipping, tripping and stumbling’ on level ground. A total of 161 were taken into hospital suffering from the effects of sunburn.