After Sea of Galilee Attack, Israel Heads for Another Record Rabies Year

A recent canine attack at Doga Beach on the Sea of Galilee, where 10 people were bitten in a short time, has renewed concern over a sharp rise in rabies cases in Israel. According to data cited by Walla, 2025 ended with a record 103 confirmed infected animals, up from 55 in 2024 and well above the previous high of 74 in 2017. In just the first half of the current year, 66 cases have already been recorded, suggesting this year could be worse than last.

Officials stress that the published figures reflect only animals that were captured and tested in a laboratory, so the real number in the field is likely higher. The animals involved in the overnight attack have not yet been trapped, and the victims were sent for preventive treatment, which is standard after possible exposure to the virus. The suspected rabid animal still has not been caught, and the incident remains under investigation.

The article notes that northern Israel has faced similar attacks for years, especially during the 2017 to 2018 outbreak in the Jordan Valley and Gilboa area, when jackals repeatedly entered communities and attacked residents at home. Other attacks have been reported at popular water and stream sites in the north, including the Jordan River, the Dan Nature Reserve and Nahal Harod. Most rabies cases have been concentrated near the northern border, where infected wild animals cross in from Lebanon, Syria and Jordan, countries where the disease is not controlled. The security situation and abandoned villages in southern Lebanon have also helped stray dogs and wild animals move into border communities and the Golan Heights in search of food.

The threat is not limited to jackals and dogs. In recent years, aggressive rabid wolves were also treated in the north, and four infected cats were identified, including one that attacked house dogs. Because of this, the Israeli companion animal veterinary organization recommends vaccinating household cats as well. The article also recalls that in 2024 Israel recorded its first rabies death since 2002, when a 76-year-old Nazareth resident died after being bitten by his unvaccinated dog. Palestinian health officials also reported the deaths of a 5-year-old boy and a woman in villages in the Jenin district. Health authorities say rabies is 100 percent fatal after symptoms appear, so anyone exposed must seek urgent preventive care and vaccination.