Man Injured in Kiryat Tiv'on Dog Attack Amid Rising Rabies Concerns
A man was moderately injured in a dog attack in Kiryat Tiv'on as authorities report rising rabies concerns nationwide, while a child remains critical in Jenin.
A man in his 40s was moderately injured Wednesday after being bitten by a dog in Kiryat Tiv'on. MDA (Magen David Adom) medical teams provided on-site treatment and evacuated him to Rambam Health Care Campus with bite marks on his limbs. Authorities will now test whether the dog is infected with rabies.
The incident follows a series of recent reports regarding animals suspected of carrying rabies across the country. Local reports have indicated a suspected rabid cat in Kfar Manda, a rabid jackal in Kfar Blum, a rabid dog in Ma'agan Michael, and a rabid fox in Kochav Yair.
Meanwhile, a four-year-old child is hospitalized in critical condition in Jenin after contracting rabies following a dog bite. Medical records obtained by the Association of Veterinarians indicate the child is sedated and on a ventilator, with saliva and skin biopsy tests confirming rabies infection.
The Critical Danger of Untreated Rabies
The child was admitted with severe neurological symptoms approximately one month after being bitten. According to documentation, the bite wound was cleaned and sutured, but the patient was not administered the necessary post-exposure rabies vaccine. By the time of hospitalization, distinct clinical symptoms including fever, excessive salivation, aggression, and altered mental status had already manifested. Medical staff attempted vaccination after symptom onset, but the disease is almost universally fatal once clinical signs appear.
Dr. Michael Ettinger, head of the Israel Veterinary Medical Association, stressed that standard wound care such as suturing and antibiotics addresses local bacterial infection but does not prevent rabies. He advised that any animal bite or scratch should be washed immediately with running water and soap for 10 to 15 minutes, followed by disinfection.
Urgent Guidelines for Exposure
Ettinger warned against waiting for symptoms to appear, noting that the incubation period can span weeks or months while the infected person feels completely healthy. Victims must promptly visit a local health bureau without an appointment or head to a hospital emergency room at night or on weekends for risk assessment and immunoglobulin administration.
