11 vacationers, including three minors, were bitten by jackals near Doga Beach in the Sea of Galilee - and were evacuated to the hospital in minor condition.
According to a statement from the Northern Medical Center, all of the injured were treated, received the required vaccinations - and released, except for a patient who arrived from another coast at a later time.
The Kinneret Cities Association said that last night a number of jackals, apparently from the Majersa area, arrived in the Kinneret area in search of food. The jackals apparently smelled accessible food in the tents and began searching for it, and in the resulting panic, they scratched vacationers, who were taken to Poriya Hospital for treatment and released.
Inspectors and police officers who were called to the scene worked to keep the jackals away from the beach area.
Mira, the grandmother of 12-year-old Alice who was bitten, said: "We were sleeping together in a tent and at 2 a.m. she suddenly screamed. We turned on the light and saw that her entire face was bleeding with bite marks. She's worried about how she'll look, she has a bat mitzvah in a month and she might need plastic surgery. It hurts us that her vacation is ending like this, it's scary.".
The Ministry of Health and the Israel Nature and Parks Authority issued a warning to the public, stating that this was an exposure incident to an animal suspected of being infected with rabies - and that the jackal suspected of being infected has not been caught so far. The people affected by it received preventive treatment for rabies.
The Ministry of Health also stated: "The public is urged to be vigilant and avoid any contact with wild animals. In the event of a bite, scratch, or contact with an unfamiliar animal, the area should be washed thoroughly with soap and water and seek medical treatment without delay. In addition, pet owners are required to ensure that their animals are vaccinated against rabies in accordance with legal requirements.".
Yossi Nevea, chairman of the Kinneret Cities Association: "We view the incident with concern and seriousness, and demand that the Nature and Parks Authority, and the veterinary services responsible for this area, act with the urgency required to thin the jackal population in the area, and to operate inspectors at night throughout the summer season to prevent this situation from happening again. We regret the experience that the vacationers went through and hope that this incident will not happen again. We will continue to work to eradicate this phenomenon.".
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