An 11-month-old baby with no underlying health conditions, who had not yet been vaccinated, was niftar on Tuesday morning from measles complications, Israel’s Health Ministry reported.

The baby was transferred about a week ago from the Poriyah Medical Center in Tiveria to Rambam Hospital in Haifa due to the deterioration of his condition and was connected to an ECMO machine.

The baby, who was from a Chareidi family, is the 12th victim of the measles outbreak, all of whom—with the exception of one—were unvaccinated healthy babies and toddlers with no underlying illnesses.

There are currently nine measles patients hospitalized across Israel, one of them in intensive care.

The ministry reiterated that measles is a preventable disease through an effective and safe vaccine. “Vaccination saves lives,” the statement emphasized.

The ministry reiterated its vaccination guidelines:

• Children should receive the routine measles vaccine at age one and again at age six.

In outbreak areas:

• The second dose should be moved up to 18 months.

• Babies aged 6–11 months in outbreak areas, or those traveling to areas with outbreaks, should receive an additional early dose.

Current outbreak areas include Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh, Bnei Brak, Harish, Modi’in Illit, Nof HaGalil, Kiryat Gat, Ashdod, Tzfas, Netivot, Haifa, Tiveria, the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council, and the yishuv of Tekoa.

In these areas, vaccines are available without an appointment at Tipat Chalav clinics, Kupot Cholim, and special measles vaccination stations established for the outbreak.

The Health Ministry recommends that unvaccinated individuals, as well as parents of babies aged 6–11 months who received only one dose, avoid crowded events in outbreak cities due to the high risk of infection.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)