Jerusalem Boy Dies of Measles Amid Ongoing Outbreak
Jerusalem – A seven-year-old boy with an underlying medical condition died Sunday after contracting measles, marking the ninth fatality linked to IsraelS ongoing measles outbreak. this is the first death in the outbreak among a child with pre-existing conditions and who had received at least one dose of the measles vaccine.
The boy was rushed to the emergency room after developing complications but was pronounced dead upon arrival. as of Sunday evening, 16 measles patients were hospitalized, eight of whom were in intensive care.
Israel‘s Health Ministry stressed the critical importance of seeking immediate medical attention at the first sign of measles symptoms, stating, “Timely care saves lives.” The Ministry reiterated that measles is a preventable disease through vaccination.
routine measles vaccinations are administered to children at ages one and six. In response to the outbreak, the Ministry has lowered the age for the second dose to 1.5 years and authorized a “bonus” first dose for infants aged 6-11 months in outbreak areas, or for those traveling abroad. This supplemental dose does not replace the standard vaccinations.
Current outbreak areas include Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh, Bnei Brak, harish, Modi’in Illit, Nof Hagalil, Kiryat Gat, Ashdod, Tzfat (Safed), Netivot, the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council, and Tekoa. Vaccinations are readily available in these areas at Tipat Halav clinics, HMO clinics, and dedicated measles vaccination centers, without requiring appointments.
The Ministry advises unvaccinated individuals and parents of infants aged 6-11 months who have received only one dose to avoid large gatherings in outbreak cities due to the elevated risk of exposure.
Vaccination efforts have intensified since September, with Jerusalem experiencing a 500% increase in vaccinations compared to the same period last year, and Beit Shemesh reporting a 630% rise. First-dose coverage among children aged 1-6 has increased from 77% to 84% in Jerusalem and from 72% to 82.6% in Beit Shemesh.
