Israel's Health Ministry on Sunday night announced the death of a four-and-a-half-year-old boy from complications of influenza.
The child, a resident of northern Israel with severe underlying health conditions, arrived at the hospital in undergoing resuscitation, and later passed away.
He was not vaccinated for flu.
This is the fourth case this year of a child who has died from the flu, and which was reported to the Ministry.
The Health Ministry noted that influenza cases are on the rise in Israel, and recommended that the entire population get vaccinated as soon as possible. The Ministry emphasized that while the flu vaccine does not entirely prevent illness, it significantly reduces the severity in most cases. The vaccine is available free of charge at the health maintenance organizations (HMOs).