The exercise simulating a biological attack took place yesterday at Rambam Hospital in Haifa

This is the third exercise of its kind that has taken place in Israel since the establishment of the state, so far other exercises of this magnitude have taken place in Jerusalem and at the Laniado Hospital in Netanya. The exercise, called "Orange Flame 3", was large-scale and entirely dedicated to dealing with the outbreak of a biological disease as a result of a terrorist attack or a natural disease

An exercise simulating a biological attack took place yesterday at the Rambam Hospital in Haifa. This is the third exercise of its kind that has taken place in Israel since the establishment of the state, so far other exercises of this magnitude have taken place in Jerusalem and at the Laniado Hospital in Netanya. The exercise, called "Orange Flame 3", was large-scale and dedicated All to deal with the outbreak of a biological disease as a result of a terrorist attack or a natural disease (such as Sars or bird flu).

In the joint exercise with the Home Front Command and the Ministry of Health, all security and rescue agencies took part, including the IDF, the police, the Home Front Command, the MDA, the CBA, the Health Bureau and all the health funds. About 1000 participants took part in the exercise - including simulated casualties who attended The emergency rooms, the internal departments, biological sorting and the outbreak department, the hospital's laboratories and the security and transportation departments will take part in the event and donate their share.

Liora Otitz, the Rambam emergency coordinator, said that "Since this is a possible scenario, we must do everything we can to deal with the situation with a level head and be prepared for any possible damage." Otitz referred to the timing of the exercise and said: "We cannot ignore the problematic nature of the last In terms of the possibility of a terrorist attack. One of the types of terrorism that arouses great concern is biological terrorism. For us, it doesn't matter what the source of the threat is or where it comes from, we have to be prepared for any situation."

As mentioned, as the largest hospital in the north, with the only infection unit in the area, Rambam was used as the site where there would be the largest load of applications from people suffering from an acute, unknown disease in the first days of its outbreak. The exercise revealed a painful truth: in an event of this type, there will be no Few died (10 deaths were reported in the exercise, most of them young, but the estimates speak of tens, maybe even hundreds of deaths) before the cause of the disease was identified in the exercise We examined how the hospital laboratories try to identify the cause of the disease and it was practiced to transfer samples to the Biological Institute in Nes Ziona and to laboratories abroad - to identify the virus.

In an event of this type, the speed and thoroughness with which the hospital staff protects itself will be of enormous importance. In the exercise, the hospital staff were wrapped in special protective suits. The exercise demonstrated how essential computerized systems for monitoring patients and hospitalized patients are - also to locate patients who have returned home and may be carriers of a dangerous and contagious disease.