JERUSALEM: Israel's Health Ministry reported 152 new measles cases, raising the total to 770 since the outbreak began in early April.
The ministry estimates that 1, 550 to 2, 750 people may be infected, citing high hospitalisation rates and community reports. Currently, 228 patients are actively diagnosed, including 24 hospitalised -- most under six years old. Two patients are in intensive care, one on ECMO support.
The outbreak has claimed the lives of two unvaccinated boys aged 18 months and two years.
In May, about a month after the outbreak started, the ministry launched a nationwide vaccination campaign. Since then, over 115, 000 doses have been administered, Xinhua news agency reported.
Measles, a highly contagious viral disease, typically causes fever, fatigue, runny nose, and a characteristic rash. Severe complications can occur, sometimes proving fatal.
Common complications include fever, dry cough, runny nose, sore throat and inflamed eyes. The disease can be prevented by immunisation.
Measles can affect anyone but is most common in children.
Measles infects the respiratory tract and then spreads throughout the body. Symptoms include a high fever, cough, runny nose and a rash all over the body.
Being vaccinated is the best way to prevent getting sick with measles or spreading it to other people. The vaccine is safe and helps your body fight off the virus.
Before the introduction of measles vaccine in 1963 and widespread vaccination, major epidemics occurred approximately every two to three years and caused an estimated 2.6 million deaths each year.