The Jerusalem medical community is carefully monitoring a possible outbreak of aggressive bacteria that appears to have infected three Ramot females, residents of the chareidi Ramot Polin area of the capital.

The three have been diagnosed with an extremely worrisome strain of the streptococcus bacteria, an infection that may result in permanent hearing loss and neurological deficits. The infection may also lead to death chas v’sholom.

Dr. Chen Zamir, the Health Ministry’s district physician over recent days has gone out with a team of nurses and vaccinated some 200 residents of the Ramot Polin complex. The vaccine was given to family members, children in the same schools and high risk residents, usually those with underlying chronic illnesses.

At present, it appears the bacterial infection is isolated to that neighborhood. Health officials report that according to US statistics, the mortality rate for this infection is 10%.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)