Eyal Berkovic's Son Hospitalized With Shingles Outbreak

Lior Berkovic, son of Israeli television host and former footballer Eyal Berkovic, was hospitalized over the weekend due to a severe shingles outbreak. The younger Berkovic shared photos from his hospital bed, showing him connected to an IV drip and wearing a mask. His father, Eyal Berkovic, visited him in the hospital, and was also seen wearing a mask in the treatment room.

Lior Berkovic thanked the medical staff for his care, wishing them a good end to the holiday season. The incident highlights a growing trend in Israel, where health funds have reported a continuous rise in shingles cases among young people in recent years. The virus, which remains dormant after chickenpox infection, often reactivates due to a weakened immune system. In younger individuals, this is frequently attributed to prolonged psychological stress and heavy workloads.

Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. After a person recovers from chickenpox, the virus can lie dormant in nerve tissue near the spinal cord and brain. Years later, the virus may reactivate and travel along nerve pathways to the skin, causing a painful rash.