Anti-venom flown from Sydney to Hong Kong for spider bite victim

The patient - an Australian policeman in his 30s - had a 24-hour wait for treatment while the anti-venom was flown in from Sydney Tuesday, the South China Morning Post reported. The policeman did not notice that he had been bitten on his leg by the spider while at a barbecue Sunday in Australia, the Post said.

He flew to Hong Kong for work the next day and started suffering leg cramps during the flight. He was admitted to hospital within three hours of touching down. A call to his wife back home revealed a redback spider had been found at the barbecue site, and the anti-venom was ordered from Sydney. There are no redback spiders in Hong Kong, and the case is believed to be the first of its kind in the territory.

The man has since made a good recovery and is expected to be discharged from the unnamed hospital within days, the Post reported. Redback spiders - named after their distinctive red markings - are common in Australia, where about 250 people a year are treated for bites. The bites take effect slowly and can be fatal in extreme cases.

(la/dpa)