The condition of a yeshivah bochur from a family in the Neve Yaakov neighborhood of Jerusalem who was bitten by a poisonous snake on a hike at the beginning of the week has deteriorated and he is in extremely critical condition.

The bochur was hiking at Nachal Tze’elim in the south with friends when he suddenly fainted and lost consciousness, Kikar H’Shabbos reported. His friends summoned help and he was evacuated to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem.

However, no one knew he had been bitten by a snake and it was only after a few hours passed that medical staff discovered the bite, which is what caused him to lose consciousness and as a result, suffer from heatstroke, one of the bochur’s friends told Kikar H’Shabbos.

The name Raphael was added to his name according to the instructions of Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky.

The family has asked the public is asked to daven for Raphael Chaim Menachem Mendel Ben Leah b’soch cholei amcha Yisrael..

Magen David Adom stated this week that their data indicates that there has been a significant increase in snake bites in Israel, with 44 Israelis bitten by snakes from the beginning of March. In the same time period last year, there were only 23 Israelis bitten by snakes.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)