According to the family of Elana Kasukar A”H, 39, was misdiagnosed by Maccabi HMO physicians, telling the press that “she was vomiting blood and they gave her Acamol (Israeli drug equivalent to acetaminophen in USA). Her husband Suli explains by the time the decision was made to hospitalize her, her condition was very serious and it was too late to save her. She was niftar on motzei shabbos. “She had all the signs of swine flu, but the diagnosis was not made” he added painfully.

Elana was eventually admitted to Kaplan Hospital in Rechovot with a serious case of pneumonia. The family states she was only diagnosed with swine flu near the end of her life and only following the diagnosis was Tamiflu administered.

Three days after being admitted to Kaplan she was transferred to Beilinson Hospital in very serious condition. Beilinson Director Dr. Boaz Tadmor reports Elana was in very serious condition upon her arrival, adding “her lungs had already collapsed”. Despite the efforts of the medical team, her other vital organs eventually collapsed as well and she was niftar due to complications of the illness. She leaves behind three children, Nofit (18), Meir (15) and Amir (10).

Maccabi HMO officials stated the case is very sad indeed but her care was commensurate with her physical signs and symptoms and lab results. Kaplan Hospital officials echoed the feeling of loss of the family, adding during the patient’s stay in the facility, the H1N1 diagnoses was made.  

A 60-year-old woman died of swine flu on Sunday night in Ichilov Hospital, becoming the nation’s 31st victim. Unlike Elana who was inherently healthy, this victim did suffer from an underlying medical illness.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)