Five talmidei yeshiva, ages 14, 15 and 17 were admitted to Bnei Brak’s Mayanei HaYeshua Hospital and appear to have contracted Leptospirosis, which seems to be originating in springs and nachals in northern Israel as reported by YWN-Israel.

Being that the disease is often spread by rodents or their urine, or soil infected by their urine, the illness in Hebrew is commonly referred to as Akberet (עכברת) with akbar (עכבר) being the word for a rat/rodent.

All of the talmidim who have been admitted visited the HaYarden (Jordan) Park. The 17-year-old arrived in the hospital on erev Shabbos, and due to his serious condition, he was transferred to Schneider Children’s Hospital in Petach Tikvah and placed in an intensive care unit. Baruch Hashem his condition has improved, and he has since been moved out of intensive care.

The youths were on an organized trip and about two weeks later, they began showing signs and symptoms of the disease.

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Chief of Pediatric Medicine at Mayanei HaYeshua, Prof. Eli Somech explains, “Two of the talmidim arrived on Monday evening and two others on Tuesday. Since they are showing clinical signs, and results of lab tests point in this direction, it appears that they have contracted Leptospirosis, and are receiving the appropriate antibiotic therapy intravenously. The emergency room of the hospital is preparing for additional victims of the disease likely to arrive in the coming day”.

The hospital has also notified the Health Ministry of the cases, pointing out they seems to have been infected in another area, not the Golan Heights where there is a travel advisory in effect. Prof. Moti Ravid, the director of Mayanei HaYeshua adds the lab tests results are expected in 48 hours and this will provide a definitive diagnosis.

The Jordan Park is in the area of northern part of the Kinneret, on the eastern side of the Jordan River just before entering the Kinneret.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)