Snake found beneath patient's bed shakes southern Spain hospital for second time

Patients and staff at Hospital Alto Guadalquivir in Andújar, in Spain's Jaén province, were reportedly left shaken after a snake was found beneath a patient's bed inside the hospital — the second reptile discovered in the building in weeks.

Here's what to know

According to Euro Weekly News, a staff member noticed the animal beneath a bed in an inpatient area, coiled around the bed's motor.

Officials later said the species was not dangerous. No bites or other injuries were reported in this incident or the previous one. After hospital workers alerted the appropriate services, the snake was removed.

However, snakes are not the most popular animals, and many people are scared of them. That can increase stress and anxiety among patients during an already difficult time, especially if they are worried about the consequences of being bitten. 

More background

The report said the same hospital had also seen another snake indoors a mere two weeks before one was found beneath a patient's bed.

That first case was said to have been handled by security staff, while the second prompted a broader response and a closer look at how the animal may have gotten inside.

As Euro Weekly News reported, investigators are checking the hospital's patios and nearby outdoor areas as possible entry routes. Because Andújar is surrounded by countryside, the presence of snakes in the area is not unusual.

Encounters like this can also be shaped in part by human activity. Buildings, courtyards, pipes, gaps, and landscaped edges can create pathways that bring wildlife into closer contact with people.

What's being done?

According to Euro Weekly News, the Seprona environmental unit of the Guardia Civil was brought in to inspect the area and help trace where the snake may have come from. The Junta de Andalucía's health and environmental authorities have also been in touch with hospital management as officials review the circumstances. Authorities are considering measures to prevent reptiles from getting into the building again.

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