Danger • went camping in the Kinneret and killed by snakebite

Tiveria: Michael Itzkowitz resident of Lapid, 54, was bitten by a snake on the Kinneret shore - paramedics pronounced him dead.

Heat prevailing in Israel these days makes snakes and other pests that could endanger human life leave their hiding places and cause harm.

At about 21:00 last night MDA forces rushed to the scene after they received a report about a man who had been bitten by a snake on the beach near the shore Hokuk in the Kinneret, MDA team headed by paramedic Taleb Abdullah, a senior medic Ariel Krieger and five other staff members who arrived at the lake shore provided him with medical treatment.

Family members who were with him saw a large snake disappeared and could not photograph it or discern what snake it was. MDA's medical staff provided medical care for about an hour and did the advanced resuscitation while providing antiretroviral therapy at the end of which were forced to pronounce him dead.

Ariel Krieger, senior medic at MDA describes what happened: "This is a beach that is not declared, the access to the area was difficult, the road was full of stones, rocks and weeds, the place was completely dark when we arrived we saw a tent and next to it lay a man in his 50s unconscious with bite marks on his hand, we resuscitated him while providing drug treatment protocols accepted during biting events when surface conditions were extremely difficult because of the darkness at the scene. Throughout the course of CPR we feared the snake was still around, after an hour of resuscitation efforts we had to determine his death."

In most parts of the country snakes can be found this time of year, the most common of them are the Eretz Israel viper, viper and adder. The last two are found mainly in the Negev. This time of year, snakes are emerging from hibernation when they are very hungry and physically contain large amounts of venom and yes they are very dangerous. Most of the time the snakes hide under rocks and crevices. Therefore, avoid lifting or moving heavy rocks or dense vegetation probe that hides a snake.

MDA Director General, Eli Bin, "MDA teams treated many casualties in recent weeks as a result of snake bites and scorpion stings. I call upon the public to head caution instructions and to call when the MDA to provide professional health care which can save lives."

So too in the water are lurking venomous snakes that may be poisonous. In the photographs taken by Ohed Shtilman large snakes are seen in the Lake Kinneret.

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!