Dramatic jump in morbidity • "Spending the holidays in clinics"

(haipo) - The summer of 2024 brings with it new challenges regarding public health. Thus, there has been a dramatic jump in the morbidity rates of various diseases - viruses, West Nile fever, intestinal diseases, corona and resistant bacteria, alongside the severe mental stress evident in the country.

A year of unusual situations

This year, without a doubt, brought with it clearly unusual situations - while the war enters its ninth month, the country's residents are fighting many viruses, apparently due to dealing with the new and complex reality against the background of the war and the ongoing mental stress that causes the immune system to weaken.

This is how Dr. Zahi Said, a family doctor from Haifa and advisor to the CEO of Klalit told the Arab Society in an interview with Lehi Feh: "The percentage of morbidity we are witnessing is unprecedented. I have not come across such a large number in the 35 years that I have been practicing as a family doctor.

We all know that summer is the period when there is usually a decrease in the percentage of morbidity. During this period, people go on vacation and recharge their batteries and energy for the rest of the year. But unfortunately we see that this year people are spending their holidays in clinics and hospitals."

"The community clinics are busy. These are patients of all ages who suffer from viruses that are not at all typical for these months and also new viruses. Viruses that cause intestinal diseases, diarrhea and vomiting. These are viruses that we did not know before. There are also patients with Nile fever, whose cases have never reached such proportions - over 150 There were no cases within a month.

We are only talking about those who are diagnosed, when there are probably more but they had no symptoms and therefore were not diagnosed. There is an increase in the percentage of corona patients (although the corona is no longer scary and is considered like any other virus) but there are many whose condition is difficult and whose symptoms are severe."

Dr. Said advises readers to be careful to maintain proper hygiene as during the Corona period. Those who are sick and must go out - make sure to wear a mask and keep a distance. These are rules that will reduce infection.

A request from those who feel sick and certainly those who have symptoms:

• Take a rest and stay home. Don't go to work and infect others.
• Regarding children - do not send them to camps and classes.
• Don't visit the elderly or the sick when we don't feel well.
• It is recommended to stay away from the news. Instead, watch a football game, a movie or do any activity that will distract us and make us feel good. The news and the security and political situation cause mental pressures and weaken the immune system and the body has difficulty fighting the viruses we get infected with.

These steps can certainly reduce morbidity.

Dr. Said recommends not going directly to the emergency room and causing unnecessary burdens. You should go to the family doctor first and if necessary he will go to the emergency room. Most viruses go away on their own and those who really feel that there is an urgent need for examination can go to the front emergency room. You can also use the service Online doctor available in general as well as in the other health funds.

 331 confirmed patients with Nile fever

According to the latest Ministry of Health data, as of Wednesday 10/7/24, 331 confirmed patients with Nile fever were reported, of which 18 died.

West Nile fever is a disease caused by the West Nile virus. The disease is characterized by fever, headaches, weakness, joint and muscle pain. Its possible rare complications are acute inflammation of the brain or meningitis, and sometimes even death. On this page you can find information about the disease, diagnosis and treatment, and questions and answers.

The updated weekly report of the health intelligence system at the Ministry of Health

• West Nile fever: An unusual morbidity continues in Israel, focused in the center of the country.
• whooping cough: The trend of increasing morbidity continues, at high levels of morbidity.
• Corona: The trend of the increase in the number of hospitalized and ventilated patients continues, an increase in referrals to clinics in the community.
• Morbidity from respiratory viruses: According to the report on morbidity from respiratory viruses of the National Center for Disease Control, the referral rate due to flu-like illness is within the range of referral rates observed between flu seasons.