Israel’s Health Ministry on Sunday announced the death of a seven-year-old boy from Jerusalem, after he contracted the measles virus.
The child, who had an underlying medical condition and was vaccinated with one dose against measles, is the ninth fatality since the outbreak began and the first to have underlying conditions or have received any vaccinations against the virus.
He was brought to the emergency room after he developed complications from the virus, but died upon arrival.
As of Sunday evening, 16 measles patients were hospitalized, and eight of those patients were in the ICU due to measles.
In its statement, the Ministry stressed the importance of seeking medical attention promptly at the onset of symptoms or upon suspicion of infection, emphasizing that “timely care saves lives.”
“The Ministry reiterates that measles is a preventable disease through a safe and effective vaccine,” the statement added.
Measles vaccines are routinely given to children at the ages of one year and six years. However, since the start of the outbreak, the Health Ministry has moved the age of the second dose to 1.5 years, and allowed an initial first dose to be administered to infants aged 6-11 months. This “bonus” dose is not counted as one of the routine vaccinations, and is only given in outbreak areas or to infants who are traveling abroad or to affected areas.
Areas currently considered to have an outbreak 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.
In these areas, residents can receive vaccinations at Tipat Halav (Mother and Child) clinics, health maintenance organization (HMO) clinics, and special measles vaccination centers, with no appointment required.
The Ministry advises unvaccinated individuals and parents of infants aged 6-11 months who received only one dose to avoid large gatherings in outbreak cities due to high risk of exposure.
Following intensive vaccination efforts since September, Jerusalem has seen a 500% increase in vaccinations compared to the same period last year, while Beit Shemesh recorded an even greater rise of 630%. As a result, first-dose coverage among children aged 1-6 has risen from 77% to 84% in Jerusalem, and from 72% to 82.6% in Beit Shemesh.
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