Wednesday Morning EST: A 9-year-old boy who was on flight 026 from New York to Tel Aviv on which Israel’s second confirmed swine flu victim was traveling has been admitted to an isolation unit in Tel Aviv’s Dana Children’s Hospital on Tuesday night.

A 49-year-old male on that flight was admitted earlier in the week to Meir Hospital in Kfar Saba, and it has been confirmed that he was infected with the illness. The first victim of the illness in Israel was Tomer Vajim, who remains in Laniado Hospital in Netanya.

Another male, 34, exhibiting signs of the illness on Wednesday was admitted to Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv. He too recently returned from Mexico. Prof. Yehuda Carmieli, professor of epidemiology and chairman of the department at Ichilov reports the victim arrived with fever and other signs of the flu, not necessarily swine flu. The same holds true for the 9-year-old boy admitted to Dana Hospital. He stated their signs and symptoms were immediately recognized by emergency rooms staff and the medical personnel isolated them and conducted themselves in adherence to the protocols set forth.

Carmieli reports that Vajim’s 5-year-old niece is now in isolation in Laniado too, and doctors await test results to see if she was indeed infected. Tomer on the other hand is reported in good condition, and hospital officials indicate he remains admitted for observation, nothing more.

Israel’s Health Ministry has already followed the World Health Organization’s lead and moved to a level 4 stage of preparedness. Officials continue to monitor the global situation amid reports that the first fatality outside of Mexico has been reported in the United States.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)