3-week-old baby is the youngest hospitalized in Jerusalem for measles | Jta

JERUSALEM (JTA) – A three-week-old baby in Israel was hospitalized for measles, becoming the youngest person to contract the disease in Israel. More than 2,000 Israelis have contracted measles so far this year, as the Knesset weighed legislation that would punish parents who refuse to vaccinate their children.

The baby contracted the disease from her mother, who was not immunized against measles, one week after birth. The mother is believed to have contracted the disease from a family member who has not been vaccinated against measles either, the state-owned television channel Kan reported.

The baby is hospitalized at Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center in Bnei Brak.

On Wednesday, the Knesset unanimously approved a bill to remove tax credits and social assistance benefits from parents who refuse to vaccinate their children. This would prevent unvaccinated children and teachers from entering educational institutions during an epidemic.

Earlier this month, an 18-month-old girl who contracted measles from her unvaccinated and infected parents died in a hospital in Jerusalem.

The measles outbreak in Israel has been attributed to an epidemic in the Orthodox Orthodox community of Rockland, New York State, which allegedly began when unvaccinated residents traveled to Israel, contracted illness and brought it back to the community.

At the same time, Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman said Monday before a state committee that the percentage of children vaccinated against measles in Israel was 96%.

Professor Itamar Grotto, director general of the Ministry of Health, told the committee that the spread of measles was slowing and that the ministry hoped that the number of patients in the country would decline next month, according to Kan.

Last Sunday, the Ministry of Health announced that a person infected with measles had flown between Romania and Israel on 20 November and that other unvaccinated passengers were at risk of contracting the disease. . The ministry urged these passengers to see a doctor.

The 3-week-old baby is the youngest hospitalized in Jerusalem. Measles appeared for the first time at the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.