Jerusalem, Nov 24 – An 18‑month‑old boy in Israel has died from measles, bringing the death toll from the outbreak that began in early April to ten people. Most of those who have fallen sick are young infants who have not yet received their vaccinations.
At Tzafon Medical Centre, located near Tiberias, the toddler arrived in critical condition early Sunday morning. Despite intense resuscitation efforts, the child could not be saved.
According to the Health Ministry, the current outbreak has produced more than 2,000 confirmed measles cases. Eleven patients are in hospital, two of whom are in intensive care.
The ministry is calling on parents to ensure their children receive the measles vaccine and to seek immediate medical care if symptoms appear or if there is suspicion of exposure. It has identified 12 cities and several additional communities as outbreak zones and is encouraging extra immunization campaigns in those areas.
Measles is a highly contagious viral illness that spreads readily through droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Symptoms typically start 10–14 days after infection with a runny nose, cough, red watery eyes and the distinctive white spots on the inside of the mouth. A red rash usually erupts 7–18 days after exposure, beginning on the face and upper neck and spreading over a few days to the rest of the body. The rash generally fades after a week.
The disease can be severe and, in some cases, fatal, especially in children under five who have not been vaccinated. Before the introduction of the measles vaccine in 1963, epidemics occurred every two to three years and claimed an estimated 2.6 million lives annually. Even today, a recent estimate put the deaths from measles at around 107,500 in 2023, most of them under age five, despite the availability of a safe and inexpensive vaccine.
The safest and most effective way to protect against measles and limit its spread is vaccination. The vaccine is proven to be safe and equips the immune system to fight off the virus if exposure occurs.
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