Dozens of cadets in the Israel Navy Officers' Course were infected with a contagious skin disease, leading to the IDF temporarily pausing the course to prevent further infection, Maariv learned on Thursday.
As of Thursday evening, approximately 40 cadets had been infected.
Medical checks conducted over the past few days, as part of the course's routine procedures, found that the cadets had been infected. Military sources stated that the disease was caused by crawling and exposure to saltwater.
All the cadets received immediate medical treatment, navy sources clarified, noting that the navy's medical clinic in Haifa advised on preventing further infection, including treatment and disinfecting personal equipment.
Laboratory tests and medical examinations were conducted for all who reported symptoms, and cadets will remain under medical supervision until the lesions resolve and they can return to training, the IDF said on Thursday evening.
The severity of the infection among most of the cadets is very mild, the IDF added.
IDF soldiers begin receiving rabies treatments after adopting diseased dog
This incident follows a similar bout of infections when at least 20 soldiers in the IDF's Samaria Regional Brigade began receiving rabies treatments on Sunday after adopting and caring for puppies, one of which had contracted rabies and died from the disease.
"All soldiers who came into contact with the dog underwent testing and were vaccinated as necessary," the IDF said.
Following the incident, the Health Ministry announced it had identified 27 individuals across various sectors who had been in contact with the dogs.