Health officials in Eretz Yisrael report swine flu continues to spread rapidly, increasing at the rate of 3.6 as compared to two weeks ago. The largest growth in diagnosed cases appears in the Jerusalem and Haifa areas. The largest number of people diagnosed with the illness is in the center of the country.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Wednesday met with senior health and treasury officials, briefed on the current realities and future concerns surrounding the illness.

According to Health Ministry statistics, during the week of August 2-8, 1,346 were infected in the center of the country, a 400% increase in two weeks. The increase recorded in Tel Aviv during the same period was 4.4 times, and in the Haifa district, 348 people were checked with a recorded increase of 7.9 times in two weeks.

Health officials reported to the prime minister that half of the diagnosed cases are under the age of 30, based on 1,503 confirmed cases. Only 5% are age 50 and over. It appears that more males are infected than women, at least in Israel.

A total of 29 swine flu patients nationwide were admitted to intensive care units, 5 died, and 13 remain in ICUs today.

AS WE GO TO PRINT: Health officials report a 40-year-old male who died of cardiac arrest in Beilinson Hospital in Petach Tikvah may have died as a result of swine flu.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)