IDF soldier seriously hurt by snake bite at northern base

An Israeli soldier was left in serious condition after being bitten by a snake at a military base in northern Israel, the IDF said in a statement Thursday.

The serviceman, who suffered the bite on Wednesday night, was taken to a hospital for treatment. His family was informed of the incident, the army said.

It came amid a spate of injuries caused by venomous bites.

A similar incident occurred last month when a soldier in the Israeli Air Force’s elite Shaldag commando unit was also left seriously ill from a snake bite.

Days earlier two men in their 30s and 40s were seriously hurt after being bitten by venomous snakes near Netanya and Michmoret, according to medical officials.

Local vipers, Vipera palaestinae, are the most common venomous snakes found in Israel. They grow to an average length of 90 centimeters (36 inches) and are mainly nocturnal. Their venom contains a hematoxin that damages blood circulation and the lymphatic system. They generally feed on small rodents, toads, and birds.

Last week, a girl, 8, was left in moderate condition after she was stung by a yellow scorpion in the southern Negev region Bedouin city of Hura. Paramedics called to the scene treated the girl, who had a bite mark on her leg, and took her to Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba for further medical attention.