A 21-year-old Chinese woman remains hospitalized in a coma on life support after being bitten on Monday by a poisonous snake she reportedly bought online.

The many-banded krait is highly toxic and authorities have warned in the past that it could be lethal if kept as a pet.

Relatives of the woman, named as Xiaofang, have been quoted as saying that after being bitten on Monday, she did not immediately seek assistance but tightly wrapped her finger with rope.

However, about one hour later, she felt dizzy and sick, at which time she called for help and was sent to a local hospital in China's northwestern Shaanxi Province.

The hospital said that Xiaofang was conscious when she arrived but soon lapsed into a coma. Since the many-banded krait is not a common species in the region, the hospital did not have any supplies of antivenin to treat bites from the reptile. 

As a result, the patient did not get the antidote within one hour period that is most advantageous. She had to wait until the following evening when a batch arrived from Shanghai. Xiaofang has since been transferred to a provincial hospital. 

On Tuesday morning, Xiaofang’s parents reported to the police that the snake was missing. Later, a dead snake was found a short distance away and was confirmed as a many-banded krait.

Residents say they were aware that Xiaofang bought the snake online but did not know which platform she used, how it was delivered and how she got bitten.

Xiaofang’s family said chat logs from her phone suggested the seller had told Xiaofang that the creature was venomous.

When asked what she planned to do with the snake, she is said to have answered she wanted to make “snake wine,” a traditional Chinese medicine made by leaving the animals to ferment in alcohol. However, a family member said her parents thought she may have decided to keep it as a pet. 

Police are investigating the circumstances of the case. 

According to the hospital, some snakes are venomous and can inject venom containing toxins as they bite. So it is a medical emergency because it can be deadly if not treated quickly. If someone gets bitten, remain calm and don't panic – the first thing is to bind the wound and loose the binding every 10 to 15 minutes. Do not try to suck the venom out of the bite or cut the venom out of the bite or make it bleed.

As the many-banded krait is a protected rare and endangered species in China, it is illegal to harm or sell the reptile.