Seven Israelis, all aged 65 and over, have died this year of West Nile virus, and of the other patients who are intubated in serious condition, six were over age 65, Israel Hayom reported, quoting Health Ministry statistics provided at the newspaper's request.
Another patient is between the ages of 45-65.
Of the 81 patients who have presented with the virus thus far, there are three children under age 18, all of whom are doing well. Among them is a nine-year-old girl from northern Tel Aviv who was hospitalized in Ichilov and later released home.
The Knesset's Health Committee, led by MK Yonatan Mishraki, will hold an emergency meeting Monday morning, to discuss the West Nile virus outbreak.
Thus far, infected mosquitoes have been found in the Tel Aviv area, Ramat Gan, Ben Gurion International Airport, Caesarea, Modi'in, Maaleh Adumim, and Beit Aryeh. The virus does not pass from person to person - only through infected mosquitoes.
On Sunday, Health Minister Uriel Busso held an emergency assessment, due to the rise in the number of cases of infection. Busso requested information on the rate of the virus' spread and the condition of those hospitalized with the virus. He also requested that the situation continue to be examined and monitored, and that steps be taken to prevent at-risk groups from being infected.
The number of people infected with West Nile virus this year is already the highest since 2018, when 130 people were infected throughout the entire year, and the highest infected by June in the past decade.