Awful news.
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre revealed that seven people have died in Ireland in the last few weeks from the flu.
Furthermore, there have been 341 cases of flu since mid-December, with 270 of those admitted to hospital before the end of December. Of those people, 15 were admitted to intensive care.
In their latest report, the HSE stated that there have been “Seven confirmed influenza cases died and were notified to HPSC this season to date. Overall, influenza activity in Ireland increased during weeks 51 and 52 of 2016 (up to the week ending January 1, 2017).”
They’re also stating that the following groups of at-risk people should be vaccinated against seasonal influenza:
- Everyone aged 65 years and over
- Anyone over six months of age with a long term illness requiring regular medical follow up such as chronic lung disease, chronic heart disease, diabetes or those with lower immunity due to disease or treatment
- Pregnant women
- Residents of nursing homes and other long stay facilities
- Healthcare workers
They expect that these numbers could rise, especially amongst the older population, stating that: “Confirmed influenza hospitalisations and influenza outbreaks are currently at high levels and are continuing to increase, with those aged 65 years and older most affected. Respiratory admissions reported from a sentinel hospital network were at very high levels. It is recommended that antivirals be considered for the treatment or prevention of influenza in high-risk groups.”
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