A woman in her 60s is in critical condition in Carmel hospital after choking on a sufganiya (jelly donut) on HaHursha Street in Haifa.
United Hatzalah volunteer EMTs responded to the incident, the second of its kind in two days, and performed CPR on the woman in an attempt to save her life.
Volunteer EMT with United Hatzalah Itamar Galili who was one of the first responders at the scene relayed: “When I arrived at the scene I was told that the woman had choked while eating a sufganiya and that she was eating it while she was riding in a minibus. I treated her at the scene, including performing CPR on her in an attempt to save her life. She was later taken by ambulance while still undergoing CPR, to the Carmel Medical Center.
This is the second incident since Monday of choking due to eating the sufganiyot traditional food that celebrate the holiday of Chanukah. On Monday, United Hatzalah volunteer EMTs responded to an emergency involving a 60-year-old man who choked on a sufganiya that he was eating on Hayarkon Street in Yavneh. The volunteers succeeded at clearing the man’s airway and he was transported to the hospital fully breathing.
President and Founder of United Hatzalah Eli Beer said: “Every year on Hanukkah our volunteers respond to medical emergencies involving people who choke on sufganiyot. It is important to take care when feeding young children or older people sufganiyot, as these segments of the population have a higher risk of choking while eating and trying to swallow spongy foods such as sufganiyot.”