Israel has recorded its first case of ‘flurona’- the double infection from COVID and flu, Israeli website, Ynet, reported on Thursday. The name is a mix of the words “flu” and Coronavirus.
According to reports, the woman who recently gave birth was not vaccinated for either flu or COVID-19 but tested positive for both at the Beilinson hospital in Petach Tikva, in central Israel.
The Israeli Health Ministry is still examining the case, having yet to determine whether the two viruses combined may cause more severe illness.
It is believed by health officials that other patients have also been infected with both bugs, but have not yet been diagnosed.
“Last year, we did not witness flu cases among pregnant or birthing women,” said Professor Arnon Vizhnitser, an obstetrics and gynaecology specialist and the director of the hospital’s gynaecology department.
“Today, we are seeing cases of both coronavirus and the flu that are starting to rear their head.”
Most patients who test positive for both flu and COVID exhibit similar symptoms which include fever, bodyaches, cough, sneezing, sore throat, shortness of breath, fatigue, headache, nausea, vomitting, among others.