Severe Flu Cases Rise in Israel as Healthy Adults Require Intensive Care

A 61-year-old woman with no known underlying medical conditions is hospitalized in critical condition in the intensive care unit at Meir Medical Center in Kfar Saba after developing severe complications from influenza A, the Health Ministry reported on Tuesday. The woman, who had not been vaccinated against the flu, was placed on ECMO life support after her condition continued to deteriorate despite sedation and mechanical ventilation.

The patient was brought to the hospital three days ago after spending five days ill at home without improvement, suffering from a high fever and severe shortness of breath. During her hospitalization, doctors sedated her and placed her on a ventilator, but as her respiratory condition worsened, they decided to connect her to an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machine, which provides external support for heart and lung function.

Dr. Michal Katzir, director of the Infectious Diseases Unit at Meir Medical Center, warned that influenza can cause life-threatening complications even in otherwise healthy individuals without underlying medical conditions. She urged the public to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Flu Hospitalizations on the Rise Across Israel

According to Health Ministry data, influenza activity in Israel is increasing, with approximately 500 hospitalized patients testing positive for the virus in recent weeks, including both children and adults. Over the past week alone, 153 new patients who tested positive for influenza were hospitalized, most of them aged 65 and older. Six of these patients required intensive care.

Since the beginning of the flu season in September, more than 600 patients with influenza have been hospitalized. The figures are based on reports from 14 hospitals, representing approximately 60% of Israel's hospital system. So far, 19 people diagnosed with influenza have died, although health officials have not established whether the virus was the direct cause of their deaths.

Flu Vaccination Rates Remain Low

Despite the increase in infections and hospitalizations, influenza vaccination rates remain relatively low. As of November 1, approximately 810,000 people had received flu vaccines through Israel's health maintenance organizations, representing just 8.2% of the population. Among adults aged 65 and older, vaccination coverage stood at 31%, while only 10% of people under 65 with chronic medical conditions had been vaccinated.

Other serious cases have also been reported. A 47-year-old man with no known underlying medical conditions is currently hospitalized in serious condition in the intensive care unit at Soroka Medical Center. Earlier, an eight-year-old girl was hospitalized at Shaare Zedek Medical Center after contracting influenza.

Health officials continue to emphasize the importance of vaccination as flu activity increases, warning that severe complications can affect even individuals who are generally healthy.