Israeli baby diagnosed with meningitis, Health Ministry confirms

An 11-month-old infant from central Israel was admitted to intensive care due to meningitis following an infection caused by the Haemophilus influenza type B (Hib) bacterium, the Health Ministry reported earlier in August.

According to the epidemiological investigation, the infant had not been vaccinated against the bacterium as part of the routine vaccination schedule. The local health office is working to provide preventive treatment to those who have been in contact with the infant, the Health Ministry's statement noted. 

The Haemophilus influenza type B bacterium can cause meningitis, sepsis, and pneumonia. Symptoms of the disease include fever, headaches, vomiting, and altered consciousness. Complications of the disease can lead to permanent neurological damage, developmental delays, seizures, and deafness.

Health Ministry presses the importance of vaccinations 

The Health Ministry, in their statement, emphasized "the importance of routine vaccinations against infectious diseases, some of which can cause severe complications and death. Adhering to the vaccination schedule is crucial for preventing outbreaks of illness among children and those around them."

Other children have previously fallen ill with forms of meningitis. In 2021, an Israeli two-year-old learning at a Chabad kindergarten in Limassol in Cyprus died on Monday after he fell ill with a fever and rash suspected of being caused by meningitis, according to Israeli media.

Additional children have previously fallen ill, including a two-year-old girl who was in moderate condition and has been airlifted to Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer.