‘Young not invincible’: Israeli, 22, in serious condition as corona targets all

The young man is reportedly a nonsmoker with no pre-existing medical conditions.

By Josh Plank, World Israel News

A 22-year-old coronavirus patient is currently hospitalized in serious condition at Assuta Hospital in Ashdod, Arutz 7 reports.

The man is reportedly a nonsmoker with no pre-existing medical conditions.

He had been in home quarantine but was transferred to the hospital in light condition after not feeling well.

The patient’s condition began to worsen a few days ago, and he has been transferred to a special intensive care unit.

“This morning, the patient’s respiratory condition worsened, so he needed full respiratory support,” Dr. Meir Ami, manager of the intensive care unit, said on Sunday.

“After being sedated and placed on a ventilator, his condition stabilized and he is responding well to the treatment provided to him,” the doctor said.

According to the Ministry of Health, the 22-year-old is among at least 66 Israelis who are currently in serious condition due to the virus.

The number of confirmed cases in Israel has risen to 3,865. Fourteen patients have died.

Most of the deaths have been elderly individuals with serious pre-existing medical conditions.

“Unfortunately, we will continue to see more sick and deceased,” Director of Public Health Services Siegal Sadetzki told Kan News on Thursday morning.

“The highest incidence of infection is between the ages of 20 and 29, and it must be understood that at any age there can be mortality, even if statistically most of the dead are adults,” she said.

Similar cases of young people around the world, some even dying, have increased fears of the potentially deadly contagion.

Londoners were shocked last week by the death of fit, healthy, 28-year-old Adam Harkins Sullivan, Britain’s The Daily Mail reports.

Dr. Stephen Griffin of the Leeds Institute of Medical Research, warned: “So while it’s true that eight in 10 patients with severe disease will be over 65, two will be younger. And when you multiply that on the huge scale, that is a lot of young people who could be killed by this virus.”

In a media briefing on March 20, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “One of the things we are learning is that although older people are the hardest hit, younger people are not spared.”

“Today, I have a message for young people: you are not invincible. This virus could put you in hospital for weeks, or even kill you,” he said.