Rabies outbreak in Yarakon Park: a woman was bitten, 10 people were sent for vaccination

The Ministry of Health updated today (Wednesday) that a female dog infected with rabies was found in a parking lot at Yehoshua Gardens in Ramat Gan. Following the incident, 10 people who were exposed to the dog were directed to receive a preventive vaccination against rabies. The caveman in details told Mako Because one woman was bitten by that dog, and the dog was killed

The Ministry of Health urges anyone who was in contact with the infected dog, or whose animals came into contact with her or a stray animal in the area of ​​the incident, between the dates of August 7 and August 12 (inclusive), to contact the Health Office urgently in order to examine the need for preventive treatment.

The Ministry of Health also asks parents to find out with their children whether they have been in contact with suspicious animals, and pet owners to contact the local authority’s veterinarian to verify the vaccination status of their animals. In addition, the public was asked to pass on the information to travelers and vacationers in the area and nearby settlements.

Dr. Michael Ettinger, chairman of the Histadrut of Veterinary Doctors in Israel, warns that the rabies incident in Ramat Gan is not an isolated case. “Since the beginning of the year, we have already surpassed the 90 verified cases of rabies. The disease is no longer limited to the north, and we also see it in Sharon, Samaria, and now also in Gush Dan. When rabies appears in the center of the country, it is a warning light that obliges the decision makers to act.”

According to him, Israel must move from the management of one-off events to a national program for the prevention of rabies. “We need to put into practice the ‘one health’ approach, in which the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the veterinary services, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the local authorities work together, share information and work in a coordinated framework. Rabies is not a problem of one body, but of human health, animals and the environment.”

Dr. Ettinger points out that in 2025, 103 confirmed cases of rabies will be diagnosed, while in 2026 the 90 cases mark will already be crossed in the middle of August. This is a deadly disease and we must not get to a situation where a person loses his life from rabies like the tragic case in 2024.”