Health authorities issue warning after 4 toddlers in Tel Aviv infected with measles
Children from same daycare all in good condition; initial probe finds patient was on recent flights between Israel and Budapest; pediatricians urge parents to check vaccinations
Four toddlers in Tel Aviv have been infected with measles, the Health Ministry said Friday, raising fears of a wider outbreak.
The children are around 2 years old and attend the same daycare center.
A fifth child has a suspected case of the highly contagious disease.
All of the toddlers are in good condition. Four were hospitalized, and two have been released.
The Health Ministry was conducting an epidemiological investigation into the outbreak, which it called “a very unusual event.”
Initial results of the investigation found that one of the children was on a RyanAir flight from Budapest to Israel on September 27, and on a return flight to Israel on El Al on October 3.
The Health Ministry was contacting passengers and crew who were on the flights to update them and inform them of procedures related to the outbreak.
The children have all received one vaccination dose against the disease, as is standard for their age. A second dose is administered in the first grade, the Health Ministry said.
“Measles is a highly infectious viral disease that manifests in fever and rash, and may have severe and even life-threatening complications,” the Health Ministry said.
The Israeli Pediatric Association called on parents to check if their children were vaccinated, and if not, to administer the vaccination immediately.
“This is an essential action that can save lives,” the association said.
An 18-month-old toddler died of measles in Jerusalem in 2018 during a spike in cases. The girl, who had not been vaccinated, was Israel’s first recorded measles fatality in 15 years.
The outbreak in 2018 and 2019 infected over 4,000 people, most of whom were unvaccinated.
The Health Ministry said at the time that full vaccination was 97% effective at preventing the disease, that it could leave lasting damage, and was fatal for one out of every 1,000 infected children.
In 2019, a 43-year-old Israeli flight attendant died of complications related to the disease after contracting measles on a flight. Blood tests showed she had been vaccinated with one dose, but not a second recommended inoculation.
