Suspicion: two women died as a result of West Nile fever

Two 80-year-old women died today (Saturday) at Billinson Hospital. There is a real fear that the two, residents of Rosh Ha’Ein and Petah Tikva, were infected with West Nile fever.

The final results of the laboratory tests have not yet arrived, but the hospital estimates that it is highly probable that they were infected with the virus.

Yesterday, the Ministry of Health informed that 19 Israelis have been diagnosed with the virus since the beginning of May, of which 17 have been hospitalized and three patients are on ventilators.

West Nile fever has been known in Israel for many years and occurs mainly between the months of June and November. This year the morbidity started earlier than usual and is probably due to the climate changes in Israel and the world, when the humid weather in the center of the country may lead to the reproduction and development of mosquitoes in this area. The risk of significant morbidity is among adults and people with immunosuppression.