Amid a sharp rise in flu cases around the country that saw three children die from complications of the disease, the Health Ministry’s Epidemic Control Team called an emergency meeting late Sunday night to discuss possible actions.
The incidence of the flu in Israel has started earlier this year, and is five times greater than during the same period last year, the Ynet news site reported, citing figures from Maccabi Healthcare Services.
According to the data, about 25 percent of PCR samples for respiratory viruses tested positive for Influenza A, compared to 5% last year.
The report said that in the week ending November 29, the Center for Disease Control recorded 394 new Influenza A cases in 14 hospitals. Children accounted for 163 of the cases.
On Sunday, two babies were hospitalized in critical condition at Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem, with one being ventilated. At Haifa’s Rambam Medical Center, a toddler was also placed on a life-support system due to complications from the flu.
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The report also noted a steep rise in Influenza A among preschool-age children (ages 3 to 6) in November, with 59% of those tested for respiratory viruses found testing positive for that strain of the flu. Among school-age children (ages 6 to 18), about 50% of tests were positive.
Influenza A(H3N2)
The dominant subtype of this year’s influenza is A(H3N2). Infected people may experience symptoms such as fever, coughing, and sore throat, similar to those of other types of flu; however, A(H3N2) strains can lead to more severe respiratory problems and be fatal in people with weakened immune systems.
The World Health Organization reported that Influenza A continues to increase worldwide.
A woman gets her flu vaccine shot on September 5, 2023. (Clalit)
According to the report, less than 15% of people in Israeli healthcare funds have been vaccinated against seasonal influenza.
Two of the children who died of the flu over the past two weeks had not received flu vaccinations, while one had received a vaccine.
Speaking at a news conference on Sunday, Prof. Ariel Tenenbaum, head of Hadassah’s pediatric department, urged people to vaccinate their children.
“The vaccine will prevent children from being in a life-threatening condition,” Tenenbaum said.
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