Mysterious Virus Infecting Thousands Of Yeshivah Bochurim in Israel & Williamsburg, Kiryas Yoel

 

Thousands of yeshivah bochurim throughout Israel have fallen ill in recent weeks with a mysterious virus with symptoms of high fever, stomach pain, cold symptoms and especially severe weakness.

The virus, which began before Chanukah in some yeshivos and others more recently, has hit yeshivos in Jerusalem, Bnei Brak, and Elad as well as in Kfar Chabad and other yishuvim. The virus has hit all types of yeshivos – Litvak, Sefardi, and Chassidish as well as Dati Leumi yeshivos on yishuvim and in towns and cities. As could be expected, most of the ill bochurim got tested for COVID when they became ill but they tested negative.

The yeshivah that seems to have been hit the worse is Yeshivas Torah B’Tifarta in Elad, where over 240 bochurim have fallen ill, with many suffering from high fever. About 150 bochurim in Yeshivas Be’er HaTalmud caught the virus and another 150 in Yeshivas Orchos HaTorah. Dati Leumi Yeshivos throughout Israel have been affected including yeshivos in Nahariya, Mitzpeh Ramon, Yerucham, Nir, Mitzpeh, and others.

According to a B’Chadrei Charedim report, hundreds of bochurim in the US in Satmar and Belz yeshivos have also fallen ill with the virus as well as students in Talmudei Torah in Williamsburg, Kiryas Yoel and Monroe.