JERUSALEM, Aug 17 (NNN-MA’AN) – An 18-month-old Israeli boy died of measles, yesterday, at Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek Medical Centre, marking the second fatality in the country’s current measles outbreak, Israel’s Health Ministry said in a statement.
The toddler was unvaccinated, it noted.
The first death, a two-year-old Israeli boy also unvaccinated, took place last Wednesday, at Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Centre.
Since the outbreak began in early April, 526 measles cases have been confirmed, including 209 active infections, the ministry said, noting that, there are 19 hospitalised patients under age six, including a one-year-old girl on ECMO support.
The ministry urged parents to ensure that their children are vaccinated according to the national schedule, which includes one dose at 12 months of age and a second one in the first grade.
Measles is a highly contagious viral illness, marked by fever, nausea, a runny nose, and a rash. In some cases, it can lead to severe and life-threatening complications.– NNN-MA’AN
