Dozens of premature babies at Shaare Tzedek Medical Center in Jerusalem received treatment for the measles virus after they were exposed to a patient diagnosed with the extremely contagious disease.
It wasn't immediately clear whether any of the babies had been infected.
The decision to administer the treatment was made after it was discovered on Wednesday that the father of one of the premature babies had been diagnosed with measles. The father had spent time in the NICU over the past week, with a fever and while undoubtedly contagious.
The measles vaccine is considered effective only from the age of one. The babies were therefore given a passive vaccine containing antibodies (immunoglobulin).
The man's wife and three children, who were never vaccinated, will also receive vaccinations.
Shaare Tzedek said in statement: "Following a visit from a father of a premature baby currently hospitalized at Shaare Tzedek's NICU, who was diagnosed with the measles virus after his visit to the NICU and after it was reported to the Health Ministry in accordance with its directives, it was decided to administer preventive treatment to all the premature babies who were in the NICU at the time of his visit."
The Health Ministry said: "The infectious diseases unit at Shaare Tzedek is administering immunoglobulin to the premature babies at the NICU, and to those babies who have since been discharged."
