‘No need for alarm’ despite fourth swine flu death

THE number of fatal cases of swine flu doubled in the last week to four, with women from both the east and west of the country succumbing to the virus.

Department of Health deputy chief medical officer Dr John Devlin, however, said although incidents of the illness were on the rise people should not be unduly alarmed. Both of the women who died in the last week were suffering from underlying medical conditions which complicated their illness. Dr Devlin added that, in the vast majority of cases, the virus was a mild disease with most patients able to care for themselves at home.

Dr Devlin extended “on behalf of the minister, the department and the HSE sympathies to the families” of the two dead women at this “distressing time”.