Before the season even began, Survivor 49 made history by becoming the first season in the show’s history to remove two players from the game and replace them with alternates. Now, it seems like the season is about to make history once again with what CBS is describing as an unprecedented medical emergency.
In the official synopsis for Survivor 49 episode 3, CBS teases that the episode will feature an unprecedented medical emergency that will leave the castaways shaken. No further details are provided, but the promo for the episode paints a picture of what this medical emergency is likely to be.
Jake gets bitten by a snake in Survivor 49 and we’re worried he’s going to be pulled from the game
“Hey, a big snake just latched onto me,” Jake tells his tribemates in the promo for episode 3. We then hear Alex saying that, “This is a highly venomous snake. I’m worried about his life at this point.”
Right after we hear from both Alex and Jake, we see footage of a black and white striped snake swimming into the water. While the show does not immediately identify the type of snake that has bitten Jake, it appears to be a banded sea krait which is indeed a very dangerous snake.
According to Fiji Travel, banded sea kraits are reported as being highly venomous and should be observed from a safe distance. Interestingly, they are reported to be seldom aggressive to people; however, like all snakes, they are known to bite when they feel threatened. Symptoms of the bites include muscle paralysis, difficulty breathing, extreme weakness, and numbness and tingling. In other words, if this was indeed the type of snake Jake was bitten by it would make sense that it would result in an unprecedented medical emergency.
No Survivor player has been pulled from the game due to a snake bite
Somehow, across 49 seasons, no player has been removed from the game due to a snake bite. If that ends up being the case with Jake, it would indeed be an unprecedented medical emergency and historic moment in the game.
It would also be unprecedented for Jake to simply have to be treated for the snake bite as a medical emergency. There also don’t seem to be any reports of a player being bitten by a snake in the game, so it’s entirely possible that Jake might simply require medical treatment but will not be pulled from the game.
If Jake’s injury isn’t life-threatening or debilitating, the medical team on the show might be able to treat it and let him continue in the game. However, if the bite is severe enough, there is always the chance that Jake’s game could come to an abrupt end, which would be a heartbreaking development.
Jake passed up the opportunity to be present for the birth of his first child in order to play the game, knowing that this season will be the last chance his dad will be able to watch him compete on the show due to his vision fading. To see Jake make such a big sacrifice only to be taken out of the game due to a medical emergency would be a tragic way for his game to end, and one that we’re hoping will not be the case.
We’ll find out what happens with Jake when Survivor 49 episode 3 airs Wednesday, October 8 at 8/7c on CBS.