Teenager Bitten by Viper While Picking Lemons in Golan Heights

A 16-year-old boy from Moshav Yonatan in the Golan Heights, Yuval Ben Yosef, was picking lemons with friends when he felt a sharp pain, initially mistaking it for a thorn from the tree. Within seconds, he realized he had been bitten by a viper. Despite the shock, the teenager remained calm and instructed his friends to call for help. "He told his friends, 'I've been bitten. Get my phone out of my pocket and call an ambulance and a team member.' He managed the situation amazingly," his mother, Carmit, told mako. His friends helped him out of the lemon grove to a nearby team member. He was then transported by military ambulance to HaEmek Medical Center, where he received antivenom treatment and was admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit. "The doctor in the emergency room called me very quickly, explained his condition and the treatment he was receiving, which greatly reassured me," his mother recounted. After two days of treatment, his condition improved, and he is no longer in danger. On Thursday, he was transferred to the pediatric ward for further observation. Hospital officials reminded the public that snakebite risks persist outside of summer, especially in open and agricultural areas, and advised immediate medical assistance without attempting to capture the snake, suck out venom, or apply a tourniquet.