British man facing permanent blindness after being bitten by cobra in India while battling coronavirus

A British man in India is facing permanent blindness after being bitten by a cobra while suffering coronavirus.

Ian Jones, 49, spent days in intensive care after he was bitten by a black king cobra in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, in the north-west of the country after contracting COVID-19.

Jones has now been discharged from hospital and is recuperating at his base in the city but is still paralysed in his legs and completely blind.

His family are still unsure whether these conditions, caused by the snake venom, will be permanent.

The former healthcare worker, who lives on the Isle of Wight with his family, runs a charity-backed social enterprise called Sabirian, aimed at helping people out of poverty.

Despite already suffering malaria, dengue fever and coronavirus, he was determined to stay in the country but then he was bitten twice by the snake.

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A GoFundMe page has been set up by Community Action Isle of Wight, which owns Sabirian, to raise funds to cover his medical costs and eventual transport home.

In the meantime, he has been reunited with his “beloved” dog Rocky and his family have thanked the public for their donations after raising more than £17,000.

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They said that, together with Jones and the charity, they are “hugely grateful for the incredible response to the fundraising appeal”.

The statement, released through Community Action Isle of Wight, said: “We had no idea it would generate such an amazing global response and we would like to thank each and every one of you for your support, we are so very grateful.

“While Ian is out of hospital he is not out of the woods yet – he has paralysis in his legs and is therefore confined to a wheelchair and he is also totally blind, both as a result of the cobra venom, which is extremely frightening for him.”

A spokesperson for the charity added that they are still unsure whether the paralysis and blindness will be permanent.

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His family said they “take some comfort” from the fact that he is back in more familiar surroundings “and with his beloved dog Rocky and able to enjoy some cuddles again”.

They added: “We are doing everything we can to try and bring him home so he can continue his recovery here with us and we will keep you posted on his progress.”

Jones’s son Seb previously described him as a “fighter” and said he had “remained resolute in his determination to stay in the country and continue his work to help the people that needed his support”.

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