Fifty pregnant women ill with the coronavirus are currently hospitalized in Israel’s hospitals, with 10 in serious condition, 8 in critical condition, 7 ventilated, and one attached to an ECMO machine, according to Health Ministry data released on Sunday morning.

The report comes on the tragic background of the petira of Osnat Ben Shitrit, 32, z’l, a pregnant woman and mother of four, who passed away on Motzei Shabbos of the coronavirus. Unfortunately, although doctors performed an emergency C-section, her baby died as well.

“These are women who haven’t been vaccinated in the second half of their pregnancy, mainly in the last trimester,” said, Prof. Galia Rahav, director of the Infectious Diseases Unit at Sheba Medical Center, as quoted in a Ynet report. “Most of them are from the Chareidi sector and have many children at home and some were hospitalized too late. Some of them are overweight.”

“Almost all of these women have been infected with the British variant and I believe their severe disease is due to the British variant. Treating pregnant coronavirus patients is not like regular treatment and that is why we definitely recommend vaccination, especially in the third trimester of pregnancy.”

Dr. Ortal Ne’eman, director of the Maternal and Fetal Medicine Unit at Assuta Hospital in Ashdod, said: “The dilemma of whether to get vaccinated is understandable, but not justified. So far, no women in Israel have been diagnosed with the coronavirus in Israel after receiving a second dose.”

“I implore pregnant women: ‘Go be vaccinated yesterday! Protect yourselves and your babies. Any deliberation poses an unnecessary risk of infection.'”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)