Health Ministry calls on public to get vaccinated for influenza virus
Pneumonia, flu virus hits Israel hard this winter.
By ZACHARY KEYSERUpdated: DECEMBER 4, 2018 04:46Vaccination against the flu(photo credit: CLALIT HEALTH SERVICES)
The Health Ministry, alarmed over the soaring number of cases of pneumonia related to the flu, is urging the public to get vaccinated against the influenza virus.“Influenza is a disease that can be caught, especially by sensitive populations such as the elderly. We call on the public to get vaccinated against influenza,” a health ministry official said. “There is an effective vaccine available that can prevent a lot of illness and damage.”In related developments, Immigration Ministry officials have noticed increased cases in “respiratory morbidity” relating to the flu while clinics around the country have been experiencing both an uptick in visits related to the virus, and an increase in positive flu identifications.Sixteen percent of the cases brought in last week contained traces of the flu virus. Out those, three were confirmed to be stricken with Severe Acute Respiratory Infection. The increase directly affects all age groups, according to the Health Ministry.
