An 11-month-old infant from one of the towns near Jerusalem was admitted to the hospital late last night (Tuesday) in critical condition following a severe complication from measles.
The infant is currently connected to an ECMO machine in the pediatric intensive care unit at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital, where the medical team is fighting to save her life.
According to Hadassah Medical Center, the infant had been treated at home in recent days for measles symptoms, but her condition significantly worsened, leading her family to take her to the emergency room at a nearby hospital.
Shortly after her arrival, a severe systems failure occurred, requiring her urgent connection to the ECMO machine.
The ECMO team from Hadassah was called to the treating hospital, connected the infant to the machine, and then transferred her, intubated and connected to the support system, to the pediatric intensive care unit at Hadassah Ein Kerem. Her condition remains critical.
Dr. Uri Pollak, Director of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Hadassah, said: "This is a tragic case of rapid deterioration that required connecting the infant to the ECMO machine. I urge all parents to vaccinate their children against measles and follow the guidelines of the Ministry of Health, which allow for the early vaccination, in order to prevent severe, life-threatening illness."