A 6-year-old child died of measles today, the Health Ministry says, marking the 16th fatality in a months-long outbreak that has swept through ultra-Orthodox communities and areas with low immunization rates.
The boy arrived in critical condition at a hospital, where, after resuscitation efforts, doctors were forced to declare him dead.
Most of the 15 deaths have been previously healthy children with no underlying conditions who were not vaccinated against measles.
The country is in the midst of its worst measles epidemic since 2018-2019, but the current outbreak has seen significantly more deaths, indicating that the disease is reaching more vulnerable populations and that sick babies may not be getting medical care in time.
According to Health Ministry data, 25 people are currently hospitalized with measles, including seven in intensive care.
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From the Liveblog of
Sunday, February 22, 2026
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