Flu death toll rises to 15, vaccines still in short supply
I’ve seen flu patients for many years, but we’ve never encountered a flu this severe and aggressive,” said Dr. Yaakov Lavi. One patient of his was a "completely healthy man."
By TZVI JOFFREHealth Minister Yakov Litzman received the annual flu shot by Prof. Itamar Grotto in a school in Tel Aviv in October 18, 2018(photo credit: HEALTH MINISTRY)
A 40-year-old man became the 15th victim to die of the flu this season after he died from complications caused by the flu on Thursday. Vaccines were in short supply with health providers around the country as Israelis rushed to get vaccinated in light of the severe flu season.The man, who was not vaccinated, arrived at the Shiba Hospital in Tel Aviv this week in severe condition and was hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit for Cardiac Surgery, according to Channel 13.In the past week, 35 people have been hospitalized in severe condition due to complications caused by the flu, according to Israel Hayom. Since the start of the season, 133 people have been hospitalized in severe condition, including 39 children. The number of deaths is lower compared to the same period last year and two years ago.A nine-year-old girl was transferred to Shiba Hospital on Thursday in severe condition. Earlier this week, a 26-year-old pregnant was hospitalized in severe condition in Shiba Hospital due to complications caused by the flu and doctors induced the birth of her baby. The baby is healthy.Prof. Dr. Yaakov Lavi stated that “veteran doctors such as us have never encountered such aggressiveness with the disease, and this is a warning sign for us all.”“I’ve seen flu patients for many years, but we’ve never encountered a flu this severe and aggressive,” said Lavi, stressing that a patient he was treating who is now in critical condition was a “completely healthy man. You can’t think, ‘this won’t happen to me.”Prof. Itamar Grotto, deputy director general of the Health Ministry, added that flu in the winter is nothing new, but that the early and quick spread of the disease is unusual. “These two phenomena show that the peak is still ahead of us, and we definitely need to prepare for a winter that will not be simple.”Health Minister Ya'acov Litzman stated on Tuesday that anyone who doesn't get vaccinated may be invalidated from receiving certain benefits from the government, according to Walla! news. Litzman called on Wednesday to establish a vaccine-production facility in Israel to allow Israel to better prepare for a larger population, without having to rely on international pharmaceutical companies, which may or may not be able to provide for Israel’s needs.20% of the population has been vaccinated against the flu this season. Health care providers have repeatedly announced in the past week that they keep running out of vaccines as the Health Ministry struggles to bolster their supplies. 100,000 more vaccinations have been ordered and will arrive in Israel in the next two weeks. In the branches of the Maccabi health care provider, signs were displayed announcing that vaccines would arrive in the second half of January.Due to delays by the WHO, vaccinations were not offered in Israel at the expected dates but were delayed to early November.
Earlier this month, the Israel Center for Disease Control found that amid a substantial rise in flu cases, the H1N1 strain of the flu, also known as Swine Flu, was the dominant strain affecting Israelis, according to Israel Hayom.Jerusalem Post Staff and Omri Ron contributed to this report.
