A 49-year-old obese male with underlying chronic pulmonary problems became the 17th fatality of swine flu in Eretz Yisrael. He died in Kaplan Hospital in Rechovot.

The man was hospitalized with swine flu about a week ago, presenting with a high fever, and was moved to an intensive care unit when his condition took a sharp turn for the worse. Ultimately, his major bodily organs collapsed, leading to irreversible shock and death.

On Thursday, three others died of swine flu in Shaare Zedek Medical and in Haifa’s Rambam Medical Center.

Health officials continue to issue warnings of possible widespread spread of the illness this winter, an eventuality that could chas v’sholom result in many deaths.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)