A five-week-old baby has died from whooping cough after his mother refused to get vaccinated during her pregnancy, the Health Ministry said on Tuesday.
Israel's health authorities recommend women who are pregnant receive vaccines to protect against the disease during their third trimester to allow them to develop antibodies that can be transmitted to their unborn child and keep them protected until they can be vaccinated at 6 weeks after birth.
The Health Ministry recently released data concerning the vaccination figures in Israel, after an appeal from an advocacy group. The figures show that fewer vaccines were administered in ultra-Orthodox areas. "The fact that in 2024, after six years, the information is finally becoming accessible to the public and local health authorities is a significant development," Racheli Edri-Hulata who was behind the appeal, wrote.
The data included vaccination rates for all routine childhood illnesses, administered by the Health Ministry in municipalities with over 2,000 residents. The highest vaccination rates were found in Arab and Druze communities. In Jerusalem and other predominately Haredi communities, low vaccination rates recently resulted in an outbreak of measles.
According to a Health Ministry report, "Since January 2023, an increase in measles cases has been recorded in Israel, with the peak reported in January 2024, seeing 272 new confirmed cases." It was noted that "a substantial number of cases occurred in the Jerusalem district." However, it is also mentioned that the outbreak has spread to other cities in Israel.
Infants in Israel are given a combined vaccination against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis as well as measles at two months. The vaccination data showed that the lowest vaccination rates were found predominantly in Jerusalem and towns with a religious or Haredi majority, including settlements.
"In over half of Israel's municipalities, there are dangerously low vaccination rates, putting the population at risk of highly contagious diseases such as pertussis and measles," said Dr. Moran Friedman.
"These vaccination rates explain the outbreaks we are experiencing in Israel today. The trend of declining vaccination rates observed in previous years has not stopped, and rates continue to decline in many communities. Nonetheless, the Health Ministry has so far refrained from making the information accessible, limiting local authorities and civil organizations in their ability to address public health challenges. The ministry must prioritize transparency and share this information."
Racheli Edri-HulataPhoto: Ilya MelnikovRacheli Edri-Hulata, CEO of the Freedom of Information Movement, stated: "Securing this information required significant effort and was only possibly after legal actions effectively compelled the ministry to release the data did it finally happen. According to her, "The data published on vaccination rates at the municipal level is a matter of public interest. Therefore, the time has come for hospitals and the Health Ministry to publish accessible information."