Israel logs first case of heart inflammation linked to Omicron variant of COVID: Report

Israel has been witnessing an increase in the COVID-19 cases driven by the highly transmissible Omicron variant. In the latest development, a hospital in Israel has informed that they are treating the first case of heart inflammation in a person infected with the Omicron variant of COVID-19. Doctors at the Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer have confirmed the development to Channel 12 News, reported The Times of Israel. 

Doctors at the Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer has revealed that a 43-year-old man has been hospitalized in the COVID-19 ward and is undergoing treatment for myocarditis, which is inflammation of the heart muscle. Prof. Shlomi Matetzky, a cardiology expert at the hospital has informed that they have witnessed it for the first time in a person infected with the Omicron variant of COVID-19. Matetzky expressed concern over the new development and further insisted that they need to “think” about it. 

Patient undergoing treatment in intensive care

The patient is undergoing treatment in intensive care and the doctors are monitoring him, according to Prof. Shlomi Matetzky. According to the hospital, the COVID-19 patient had received a booster dose in August and was healthy with no health conditions. As per The Times of Israel report, the previous variants of COVID-19 have caused myocarditis and pericarditis. However, it is the first time that a patient infected with the Omicron variant of COVID-19 has caused myocarditis. 

Amid the surge in COVID-19 fueled by the Omicron variant, Israel has started giving the fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine to people aged above 60, health workers and those who are immunosuppressed. According to data released by the health ministry, nearly 254,000 people in Israel have received the second booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, reported The Times of Israel. In order to contain the spread of COVID-19, the government has decided to vaccinate its citizens with the fourth dose of vaccine against COVID-19.

COVID-19 situation in Israel

According to statistics provided by the Israel Health Ministry, as of 10 January, 17,521 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the country taking the overall tally of active cases to 119,515. The total number of fatalities reported due to COVID-19 is 8269. According to the Israel Health ministry, 6,630,746 people have received the first shot of vaccine while 5,971,181 people have been vaccinated against COVID-19. 4,334,563 people have received the booster dose of the vaccine against COVID-19. 

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