IDF soldier in serious condition after viper snake bite

Young man, suffering from blood clotting complications, transferred by military helicopter to Jerusalem hospital

Illustrative photo: A viper (photo credit: CC-BY-H. Krisp, Wikimedia Commons)
Illustrative photo: A viper (photo credit: CC-BY-H. Krisp, Wikimedia Commons)

An IDF soldier who was bitten by a viper Thursday has become seriously ill.

The young man was vacationing in Eilat when the snake bit him. He was treated at the Yoseftal Medical Center in the southern port city for what were initially considered moderate wounds.

However, his condition became markedly worse Friday morning as he was suffering from blood clotting complications after being bitten by the venomous snake.

He was in serious condition, and was transfered by military helicopter to Jerusalem’s Hadasseh Ein Kerem hospital for further treatment.

Vipers’ venom is dangerous because it contains a very high number of proteins that attack the cardiovascular system and disrupt and thwart the body’s natural blood clotting system. The most common cause of death in people bitten by a viper is a collapse in blood pressure.

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