New York City Health Department 'strongly urges' against ultra-Orthodox circumcision ritual

The city Health Department on Wednesday “strongly” urged against an ultra-Orthodox Jewish circumcision ritual that uses oral-genital suction to remove the blood.

In September, a Brooklyn infant died after the procedure because he contracted herpes from the rabbi, or mohel , who performed it.

“There is no safe way to perform oral suction on any open wound in a newborn,” city Health Commissioner Thomas Farley said in a statement.

The ritual leaves infants at risk of contracting herpes simplex virus type 1.