Rabid jackal caught at Kinneret beach after weekend bite incidents

Israeli health and agriculture officials said Monday that a female jackal infected with rabies was trapped at Dogit Beach on the Sea of Galilee, in the Golan Regional Council area. The animal was caught after two attempted attacks were reported over the weekend and about 10 people were bitten at nearby Duga Beach.

During the capture, a ranger and one other person came into contact with the jackal and were referred for preventive treatment. The Health Ministry warned that rabies is “dangerous and fatal” and urged anyone who had contact with a stray animal in the area between May 30 and June 13, inclusive, to urgently contact the nearest district health office to assess whether preventive treatment is needed.

The ministry also asked parents to check with their children whether they had been near suspicious animals, and told people who stayed in the relevant beaches with pets to contact a veterinarian and report that they were in the area where the rabid jackal was trapped. It repeated standard instructions for bites or scratches: wash the wound immediately with running water and soap, disinfect it, and go to a health office for evaluation.

The rabies scare has also unsettled residents of nearby communities. A resident of Kfar Hittim told N12 that jackals have been roaming the settlement for more than a year, mostly at night, and recently have also been seen between houses in the afternoon. She said the animals frighten children and that parents are now afraid to let them play outside in daylight.