Breaking Update
Israel Flu Cases Surge, Health Ministry Urges Masks for At-Risk
Israel's Health Ministry urges at-risk groups to wear masks as flu cases surge, reporting 513 new hospitalizations and four child deaths in recent weeks.
Jerusalem, 17 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s Health Ministry is warning of a severe and early influenza season, urging at-risk populations to wear masks as hospitalizations rise.
According to the National Center for Disease Control, 513 new influenza A–positive hospitalizations were reported by week 49, alongside one influenza B case, based on data from 14 general hospitals. Over the past three weeks, four children have died from the flu, three of whom were unvaccinated. While vaccination rates are climbing, with about 15.7 percent of the population inoculated, the ministry says coverage remains insufficient. It recommends mask use in enclosed spaces for high-risk individuals, medical staff, and visitors to nursing and geriatric facilities.
Although the flu vaccine does not completely prevent infection with the disease, it helps alleviate its severity, and vaccinating a child against the flu may also provide some protection for the adults around them, the ministry added.
