Jerusalem, 11 November, 2026 (TPS-IL) — A 47-year-old resident of Ar’ara BaNegev died on Wednesday at Soroka Medical Center in Be’er Sheva following severe influenza complications.
According to hospital officials, the man had no prior underlying medical conditions and had not received the seasonal flu vaccine.
The patient initially developed mild, cold-like symptoms after recently returning from a trip to Saudi Arabia. Over the past week, his condition rapidly deteriorated as he experienced severe shortness of breath and critical lung failure. He was admitted to Soroka’s internal intensive care unit and was connected to an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machine to support his failing lungs.
Despite intensive life-saving efforts by the medical team, his condition worsened further today, and doctors pronounced him dead.
Health officials continue to urge the public to get vaccinated against the seasonal flu.
