Israel Reports First Case of ‘Flurona’

YERUSHALAYIM
Ichilov Hospital team members wearing protective gear as they work at the coronavirus department of Ichilov Hospital. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)

Israel has documented its first case of the so-called “flurona” — a simultaneous coronavirus and influenza virus infection, Yediot reported on Thursday.

The double infection was first identified in a woman this week at Rabin Medical Center (Ichilov) in Petach Tikva. According to the hospital, the new mother, who is not vaccinated against either pathogen, is feeling well and is expected to be discharged from the hospital later Thursday.

The Health Ministry is still examining the case, which was relatively mild, and has yet to determine whether a combination of the two viruses causes more severe illness.

Health officials estimate many other patients have also come down with both bugs but have not been diagnosed.

“Last year, we did not witness flu cases among pregnant or birthing women,” said Prof. Arnon Vizhnitser, an obstetrics and gynecology specialist and the director of the hospital’s Gynecology Department. “Today, we are seeing cases of both coronavirus and the flu that are starting to rear their head.”

Vizhnitser noted that the patient treated at Rabin did not experience any unusually harsh symptoms.

“She was diagnosed with the flu and coronavirus as soon as she arrived. Both tests came back positive, even after we checked again,” he said. “The disease is the same disease; they’re viral and cause difficulty breathing since both attack the upper respiratory tract.”

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