City health officials believe the baby boy got sick as a result of a centuries-old ritual known as metzizah b'peh practiced by some ultra-Orthodox Jews.
Another Jewish baby boy has contracted herpes through a controversial religious circumcision ritual, marking the fourth case in 2014, the city's Health Department said.City health officials believe the baby boy got sick as a result of a centuries-old ritual known as metzizah b'peh practiced by some ultra-Orthodox Jews.
At the end of the circumcision, the rabbi or mohel removes blood from the wound on the baby's penis with his mouth, a practice health officials caution against.
During the mayoral campaign, de Blasio vowed to come up with a new policy to regulate the dangerous practice on "Day 1" of his term.
"I would start over," de Blasio said at a primary debate. "Change the policy to find a way to protect all the children but also respect religious tradition in an appropriate manner and come Day 1 to City Hall with a new policy that's fair.”
But Hizzoner has done nothing to change the procedure put in place during the Bloomberg administration, requiring the circumciser to get a signed consent form from parents.
Critics contend that requirement is difficult to enforce and does little to regulate the potentially deadly practice.
There have been 17 reported cases since 2000 - two babies died and several more suffered brain damage, according to health officials.
Ultra-Orthodox rabbis contend there's no medical proof that the babies became sick due to the circumcision, an assertion city health officials deny.
The baby was rushed to the hospital and treated for the lesions on his penis, the alert stated.
The lesions and timing of the symptoms "are consistent with … direct contact between the mouth of the ritual circumciser," the message said. The baby has recovered and since been discharged from the hospital.
The case was first reported by Capital NY.
In September 2011, a 2-week-old baby died at a Brooklyn hospital after contracting herpes through the ritual. But rabbis insist that had nothing to do with the tradition and insist that mohels involved in questionable cases are now tested and monitored.
A mayoral spokesman did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/jew ... -1.2055911
