Health Ministry Urges Contact After Rabid Fox Found in Northern Israel

Israel's Ministry of Health announced on Monday, September 7, 2026, the identification of a fox infected with rabies in the community of Ma'ayan Baruch in the Upper Galilee. An epidemiological investigation is ongoing, and currently, there is no information about human or animal contact with the infected fox.

The ministry is urgently appealing to anyone who may have come into contact, or whose animals may have come into contact, with the rabid animal or any stray animal in the incident area between August 20, 2026, and September 3, 2026, inclusive. Individuals are requested to immediately contact the health bureau in Safed at 04-6994257 or 04-6994200, or the nearest health bureau to their residence to discuss potential preventative treatment.

Outside of working hours and on weekends, individuals should report directly to the emergency room of the nearest hospital. The Ministry of Health emphasized that in cases of bites or scratches from an animal, the affected area should be immediately washed with soap and running water, disinfected, and medical attention sought at a health bureau to assess the need for rabies prevention.

In response to the diagnosis, the Ministry of Health issued emergency guidelines. Parents are urged to urgently check with their children if they have had contact with suspicious animals in the area. Pet owners are advised to contact their local veterinarian to confirm their animals' vaccination status. The public is also asked to share this information with travelers and vacationers in the region and nearby communities.