Two young children, one too young for vaccination and one completely unvaccinated, are in critical condition on ECMO machines in Jerusalem amid a concerning rise in severe measles cases.
Two Children Battle for Life in Jerusalem as Measles Returns with Vicious Force—Doctors Urge: ‘Vaccinate Now!’
Jerusalem hospitals are fighting to save the lives of two young children critically ill with measles, as the once-contained virus makes a dangerous comeback. One of the victims is a baby girl just shy of her first birthday—too young for the measles vaccine—now on life support via an ECMO machine, battling for survival.
The infant, fully vaccinated according to schedule, was rushed to the hospital over the weekend in severe respiratory distress. She was quickly diagnosed with measles, a disease once thought nearly eradicated but now roaring back due to vaccination lapses.
A second child, a two-year-old unvaccinated boy, is also in serious condition on ECMO, the most aggressive form of life support available. Both are being treated at Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center, with one child having been transferred from Shaare Zedek Medical Center.
“This is a life-threatening illness, and we are seeing more and more severe cases,” warned Hadassah doctors. “Vaccinate your children. Do not wait. Follow the Health Ministry’s guidelines.”
🦠 The Measles Threat: Silent but Deadly
According to Dr. Uri Pollak, head of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Hadassah, measles is one of the most contagious viruses known to medicine, spreading quickly in closed environments and causing potentially fatal complications.
“It starts with fever, runny nose, rash—but it can escalate into severe respiratory failure, brain inflammation, and even death. What we are seeing now is the direct result of vaccine hesitancy and delay.”
📈 Rising Cases, Rising Risks
Health authorities have noted a sharp rise in serious measles cases in recent weeks, raising red flags across the country. While vaccination programs have historically protected the population, gaps caused by delayed or skipped immunizations are now fueling outbreaks—and putting the most vulnerable, like infants and immunocompromised individuals, in grave danger.
“The baby girl should have been protected by herd immunity,” one senior physician explained. “But when others choose not to vaccinate, they endanger children who haven’t yet reached the age for immunization.”
🧬 What Parents Must Know:
- Measles vaccination (MMR) is administered in two doses, the first typically after 12 months of age.
- Unvaccinated children and adults can spread the virus rapidly, even before symptoms appear.
- Complications can include pneumonia, encephalitis (brain swelling), blindness, and death.
- ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) is used only in extreme cases where the lungs can no longer function on their own.
