Rabid Dog Found in Ramat Gan Prompts Preventive Treatment for Ten People

The Israeli Ministry of Health reported on Wednesday that a dog infected with rabies was found in a parking lot at Ganei Yehoshua Park in Ramat Gan. Following exposure to the rabid dog, ten individuals were directed to receive preventive rabies vaccinations. The ministry urged anyone who had contact with the infected dog or with animals that interacted with it between August 7 and August 12 to urgently contact the Tel Aviv Health Office or their local health authority for evaluation and possible treatment.

Parents were specifically advised to check if their children had contact with suspicious animals and to seek immediate medical advice if so. Pet owners were encouraged to verify their animals’ vaccination status with their veterinarians and to inform others in nearby communities about the incident. The Ministry of Health emphasized that anyone bitten or scratched by an animal should immediately wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water, disinfect it, and seek medical evaluation for preventive treatment.

This incident in Ramat Gan highlights a growing concern among experts about the spread of rabies in Israel, which was previously confined mainly to the northern regions. Dr. Michael Ettinger, chairman of the Israeli Veterinary Doctors Association, called for a coordinated regional emergency plan including continuous epidemiological monitoring, widespread vaccination of dogs and wildlife, humane population control of stray dogs, and public education.

Rabies is a fatal disease once clinical symptoms appear, but it is preventable through vaccination and prompt post-exposure treatment. Prof. Yasmin Maor, head of infectious diseases at Wolfson Medical Center, noted that recent cases and the disease’s spread into central Israel have led to stricter guidelines for post-exposure care. She stressed the importance of immediate medical consultation after any animal bite or scratch, regardless of the animal’s vaccination status.

Rabies symptoms resemble encephalitis, including confusion and hydrophobia, and once symptoms develop, the disease is almost always fatal. The last rabies death in Israel occurred in October 2024 in Nazareth, the first in about 20 years. Recent months have seen rabies cases in Modiin, Holon, Ra’anana, Shoham, and Rosh Haayin, with frequent reports of infected animals nationwide. In May, a rabid dog traveled by train from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv, exposing many people and prompting preventive treatment for dozens.