Man, 72, Hospitalized in Serious Condition After Snakebite in Golan Heights

A 72-year-old man was bitten by a snake while working in an agricultural field near Kibbutz Ein Zivan in the Golan Heights. The man, a resident of the town of Buqata, was bitten on the hand, and his condition rapidly deteriorated. He was evacuated by Magen David Adom paramedics to the emergency department at Ziv Medical Center in Safed, arriving in very serious and confused condition.

Medical staff described his condition as complex and worrying. Dr. Hussein Bushnak, acting director of the emergency department, stated that the patient arrived completely disoriented and suffering from severe poisoning symptoms, including multiple vomiting episodes, excessive sweating, and extremely low blood pressure. The medical team immediately administered life-saving treatment, including a specific anti-venom.

Following the prompt intervention, the patient's condition gradually improved. After initial stabilization of his vital signs, he was transferred to the general intensive care unit for continued treatment, monitoring, and close observation. In light of this incident, Ziv Medical Center is reinforcing life-saving guidelines for the public in cases of snakebites. These include immediately calling for medical assistance, having the victim lie down and remain as calm as possible to slow the spread of venom, immobilizing the bitten limb, removing tight clothing and jewelry that could impede blood flow due to swelling, and if possible, remembering or photographing the snake to aid physicians in selecting the correct treatment.