Severe flu cases double in two weeks

A SEVERE form of influenza is sweeping the country and those regarded as high risk have been advised to get immediate vaccination.

The number of reported cases of most severe form of the flu virus, Influenza A, has doubled here in the past two weeks, according to the National Disease Surveillance Centre.

Six people have died of this strain in Britain in the past two months, but there have been no deaths here.

An estimated 70 cases per 100,000 people was recorded last week from GPs around the country.

This is the highest rate of flu-like illness to be recorded here since surveillance began three years ago.

Worldwide influenza causes threE to five million cases of severe disease each year and 250,000 to 500,000 deaths.

Labour deputy leader and spokesperson on Health, Liz McManus, has called on Health Minister Micheál Martin to ensure that all healthcare workers are vaccinated against this lethal strain of influenza.

“There are a number of high risk categories who should be targeted for the flu vaccine. The number of influenza-like cases reported in Ireland has more than doubled in the last two weeks and six deaths have already occurred in Britain.

“I am calling on the Minister for Health to ensure that all healthcare workers in particular, whether in the community care service or in hospitals, are vaccinated so as to help prevent a serious outbreak of the illness which has led to six fatalities in the UK recently” she added.

The indications are that this outbreak could match the last severe outbreak of flu, which occurred in the early months of 2000, when an estimated 51 people died.

The symptoms of influenza infection usually develop over a matter of hours and include a high temperature, sore muscles, dry cough, headache and sore throat.The centre has urged the high-risk groups, including elderly and sick people, to get the flu vaccination which offers good protection against the virus. People with lower immunity due to disease or treatment are also vulnerable.