Measles cases in Israel climb to 18 after 4 more diagnosed, says Health Ministry

Renee Ghert-Zand is the health reporter and a feature writer for The Times of Israel.

Measles, mumps and rubella vaccines are seen in a cooler at the Rockland County Health Department in Pomona, New York, March 27, 2019. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Measles, mumps and rubella vaccines are seen in a cooler at the Rockland County Health Department in Pomona, New York, March 27, 2019. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

A limited outbreak of measles in Israel continues to grow with the Health Ministry announcing that four more cases were diagnosed in recent days. In total, 18 people have been found to have the contagious and potentially life-threatening respiratory disease since December 2023.

The first newly detected case involves a tourist from Russia who was at the emergency room at Barzilai Medical Center on February 5 from 8:30 p.m. until February 6 at 1 a.m.

The second is a boy from Holon who returned from Azerbaijan and was in the emergency department of Wolfson Medical Center from February 9 at 5 p.m. until February 10 at 4 a.m.; he’d been vaccinated with one dose of the measles vaccine. The third contracted the disease from another person in the Haifa region who rode Egged bus 12 in Kiryat Yam on February 9, boarding at 12 p.m.

The fourth case is a toddler who was vaccinated with a single dose of the measles vaccine, which is appropriate for their age according to Health Ministry guidelines.

The ministry is carrying out an epidemiological investigation for each detected case. Anyone who suspects they were in proximity to a person with measles should call the ministry at 5400*. If someone develops symptoms, they should isolate themselves and be in touch with a doctor or hospital. The ministry urges Israelis to get the full set of measles vaccine shots.

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