Shaare Zedek Reports Eight-Year-Old Taken Off Ventilator After Severe Flu Complications

An eight-year-old girl treated at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem for severe influenza complications has been taken off mechanical ventilation after her condition improved. The case was reported on November 5. The child, who was described as ordinarily healthy and without underlying medical conditions, arrived at the hospital in serious condition with a high fever and severe difficulty breathing. Dr. Elhai Berliner, a senior physician in pediatric emergency medicine, described urgent treatment that included medication and respiratory support from the time of her admission. After the initial stabilization, the girl was transferred to the pediatric intensive care unit. She was sedated and placed on a ventilator while the medical team continued treating her. Her condition subsequently improved enough for the team to stop ventilation after approximately 24 hours. “We are monitoring the girl’s condition,” said Dr. Shani Cohen Elias, who participated in her treatment. The reported next step was continued observation of her condition; no discharge date was announced. Cohen Elias said the case illustrated that influenza can cause severe complications even in children who are generally healthy, and emphasized vaccination. The girl had received her routine childhood vaccinations but had not received the influenza vaccine, according to the account of her treatment.