Man dies in Beersheba of flu complications as death toll climbs

A 63-year-old man died Thursday at a Beersheba hospital of flu complications.

Officials said Thursday the man was suffering from other health issues that exacerbated his condition.

According to Channel 12 news, since the start of the flu season 32 people have died of flu complications and 300 have been hospitalized in serious condition, as Israel grapples with a particularly aggressive strain of the virus. The channel said seven people had died in the last week alone.

The last official numbers from the Health Ministry, dated from December 24, listed nine deaths from the disease and 98 serious hospitalizations so far this flu season.

The casualties have included children and teenagers. A pregnant woman was hospitalized in serious condition last week in Kfar Saba due to complications of the flu, despite having received the flu shot. Some of those hospitalized have been diagnosed with swine flu.

An official Health Ministry report dated from January 11 noted that hospital visits for the flu were on par with past years.

Last year saw 17 deaths from the flu, and the year before 37 people died.