JERUSALEM, July 13 (Xinhua) -- A tourist from Sweden was hospitalized in Israel after contracting the influenza A/H1N1 virus, local news service Ynet reported Monday.

    The 21-year-old patient, hospitalized in the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center's intensive care unit, was in serious condition, said the report, adding that the patient's mother also contracted the virus and was admitted in mild condition.

    As of Sunday, there have been 846 A/H1N1 flu cases reported in the Jewish state since April, according to the report.

    Recent weeks have seen a rapid increase of A/H1N1 flu cases in Israel, which has a population of about 7 million. No death case has been reported so far in Israel, and most of the previously reported patients have already recovered.

    In light of its rapid spread worldwide, the World Health Organization last month raised the A/H1N1 alert to its highest level, formally declaring that it had developed into a global pandemic.

Special Report:  World Tackles A/H1N1 Flu