17 people currently hospitalized with measles, 5 in intensive care

The Health Ministry says there are currently 17 people hospitalized with measles in the country, of whom five are in intensive care units. An unvaccinated child, 6, from the south of the country, is on a ventilator.

A two-and-a-half-year-old toddler who was not vaccinated against measles has died from the disease, the Health Ministry says, confirming earlier reports. This is the eighth child to die from measles since the beginning of the outbreak in May. All were healthy individuals with no underlying diseases who had not received the measles vaccine.

The areas currently defined as having an outbreak are Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh, Bnei Brak, Harish, Modiin Illit, Nof Hagalil, Kiryat Gat, Ashdod, Safed, Netivot and the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council.

Since the outbreak, there have been 1,644 recorded cases of the measles and 577 hospitalizations. Following the ministry’s efforts to increase vaccination coverage, there has been a 500% increase in vaccinations in Jerusalem and an even higher increase of 630% in Beit Shemesh since September, compared to the same period last year, according to the ministry.