Rabies outbreak spreads to central Israel: woman bitten in Ramat Gan; search for jackal in the north
Veterinary services are concerned about the spread of rabies from northern regions to Gush Dan, the Sharon, and Samaria. Since the beginning of the year, 95 confirmed cases have been recorded nationwide.
An unprecedented outbreak of rabies is underway: since the beginning of the year, 95 confirmed cases have been recorded across the country, indicating a worrying spread from the northern regions to Gush Dan, the Sharon, and Samaria. In this context, a dog confirmed to have rabies recently bit a woman in Ramat Gan.
The victim was evacuated for medical treatment and has begun a series of vaccinations. This marks the 95th confirmed rabies case in Israel this year and the second in Gush Dan, signaling an unusually rapid rate of viral spread toward the center of the country.
Parallel to the incident in Ramat Gan, a jackal attacked and bit a girl in the village of Rumat al-Heib in the north, and also attacked two dogs before fleeing. The girl was taken for medical treatment, while municipal veterinary and control teams have launched a search to capture the animal. Professional assessment suggests the jackal is highly likely infected with rabies given its aggressive behavior; however, the case is not yet included in the official count as the animal has not been captured for laboratory testing at the Veterinary Institute in Beit Dagan.
The current scope of morbidity and its geographical distribution break the patterns observed in previous years. While in the past almost all rabies cases were concentrated in northern regions and near the borders, this year shows widespread leakage into the center. For comparison, the entire year of 2025 was defined as a record-breaking negative year with 103 confirmed cases, whereas now—within only eight months—the number of infected animals has already reached 95.
