Flu Outbreak Declared in Israel, Early and Severe
Translated & summarized from Davar by baba
Israel's Ministry of Health declared an early flu epidemic, with cases surpassing the threshold weeks ahead of previous years. Half of the reported cases are among the elderly, despite a low overall vaccination rate of 9.9%. Twenty-eight deaths have been linked to the flu in the past ten weeks, primarily among those over 65. A two-year-old girl is in intensive care with a flu complication.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Israel's flu season has crossed the epidemic threshold earlier than in the past seven years.
- Half of all reported flu cases are among individuals aged 65 and older.
- Only 9.9% of the insured population has received the flu vaccination.
- Twenty-eight deaths have been linked to flu complications in the last ten weeks.
- A two-year-old girl is in intensive care with a severe flu complication.
- Visits for upper respiratory infections are lower than the average for recent years.
Israel's Ministry of Health reported that the current flu season has surpassed the epidemic threshold earlier than in previous years, indicating an unusual outbreak. This surge is particularly notable as the threshold was crossed in the first week of November, significantly sooner than in the past seven years, and even earlier than the 2019-2020, 2021-2022, 2022-2023, and 2024-2025 seasons. The 2020-2021 season saw minimal flu activity due to COVID-19, while the 2023-2024 season experienced an unusual summer outbreak.
Approximately half of the reported flu cases are among individuals aged 65 and older, a demographic with a vaccination rate of only 36.2%. Overall, the flu vaccination rate among the insured population stands at a low 9.9%, with teenagers aged 13-18 having the lowest rate at 2.8%. In the last ten weeks, 50.7% of flu patients were over 65.
Despite the early flu surge, the rate of visits to clinics for upper respiratory infections remains lower than the 2012-2024 average. Pneumonia cases are moderately increasing, especially in infants and toddlers under two years old. In the past ten weeks, 28 deaths have been attributed to flu complications within 30 days of a positive diagnosis, with all but one being individuals aged 65 or older.
A two-year-old girl is currently in intensive care at Shaare Zedek Medical Center due to a flu complication, specifically SIADH syndrome, which causes water retention and dangerously low sodium levels. The child, who had no prior health conditions and received routine vaccinations but not the flu shot, is reported to be in stable and improving condition. Doctors emphasize fluid intake restriction for SIADH patients.