El Al flight attendant in hospital after contacting measles on flight to New York

An El Al flight attendant was hospitalized after contracting measles from a passenger.

Ben Sales

(JTA) — An El Al flight attendant was hospitalized after contracting a serious case of measles on a flight from Tel Aviv to New York last week.

The flight attendant is unconscious and on a respirator, according to reports. She reportedly had been vaccinated.

A passenger boarded the flight while sick with the virus, the Jerusalem Post reported.

Israel has seen a serious outbreak of measles in recent months, mostly due to lower than average vaccination rates in the haredi Orthodox community. Two Israelis — an 18-month-old baby and an 82-year-old woman — have died from the disease.

Haredi communities in New York also have experienced measles outbreaks, and have low vaccination rates.