Two Children Treated After Viper Snake Bites in Northern Israel Neighborhoods

A 12-year-old boy from Nof HaGalil was bitten by a viper while playing with friends in his neighborhood. The incident occurred when he opened a drawer inside a makeshift "camp" he had built with friends. A snake catcher later confirmed the snake was a viper. The boy described immediate pain and swelling at the bite site. His father noted that the boy’s decision to avoid running helped prevent the venom from spreading rapidly.

Separately, a two-year-old toddler from a community in the Jezreel Valley was hospitalized at Emek Medical Center with significant swelling and a discolored leg following a snake bite about a week earlier. Both children received life-saving treatment and their conditions have since stabilized.

Dr. Ronen Pomp, a senior pediatric emergency physician at Emek Medical Center, advised residents to keep yards clear of trash and objects that could harbor snakes and to avoid reaching under stones or behind hidden items. In case of a snake bite, he emphasized the importance of calming the victim, immobilizing the affected limb to slow venom spread, and immediately calling emergency medical services for evacuation.