A 5-year-old child died today at Wolfson Hospital in Holon after being rushed in critical condition with severe flu complications. The child was brought to the hospital intubated and without a pulse after collapsing at home, and despite intensive resuscitation efforts, medical staff were unable to save them.
The tragedy comes amid an unprecedented surge in flu cases across Israel, with Wolfson Hospital reporting emergency room occupancy exceeding 110% this week. "We are at the beginning of the peak of this illness wave," warned Professor Yasmin Maor, Head of Infectious Diseases at Wolfson Medical Center. "We expect the burden to increase in coming weeks. It's still not too late to get vaccinated and prevent severe illness."
The situation is equally dire at other major hospitals. At Beilinson Hospital, four women aged 22 to 50 are currently in intensive care with flu complications, all sedated and ventilated. One patient requires ECMO support, while others include a new mother and a post-surgery patient.
This follows Sunday's death of a 40-year-old woman at Soroka Hospital in Beer Sheva, who succumbed to flu complications just one day after admission. At Soroka, two more patients are now in serious condition, including a previously healthy man in his 50s requiring ECMO support.
In response to the crisis, religious leaders are joining medical authorities in urging vaccination. The Gur Hasidic community, one of Israel's largest Hasidic sects, has issued a directive for all members to receive flu vaccines, including those who typically don't contract the flu.
Internal medicine departments across Israeli hospitals are reporting over 100% occupancy as they struggle to manage the influx of severe cases. Healthcare officials continue to emphasize that vaccination remains the best defense against severe flu complications.
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