Confirmed flu cases likely here

IRELAND is likely to see confirmed cases of swine flu, medical experts said last night, as extra measures are put in place, including a nationwide leaflet drop to households.

Health officials yesterday said all tests on suspect cases here had so far proved negative for the H1N1 virus.

Department of Health chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said yesterday no confirmed cases of the virus had yet been detected here, but said: “We do expect we may see some positive cases at some point in this country. We are certainly planning on that basis.”

Dr Holohan and Dr Kevin Kelleher, head of Health Protection in the HSE, said there would be 24/7 coverage in the event of an outbreak, and public health doctors were working around the clock since news of the outbreak in Mexico.

Yesterday’s Irish Examiner revealed that the department’s own Risk Register had expressed concern over the capability of health services to operate a national pandemic plan due to a dispute with the Irish Medical Organisation, meaning a lack of weekend and out-of-hours cover by specialist public health doctors.

“People have reacted [to the outbreak],” Dr Kelleher said, adding informal contact had been made with the IMO and a full meeting with the IMO would take place next week.

Ireland will be unable to secure anymore of this winter’s flu vaccine, even if it is found to be effective against the Mexican swine flu. The state currently has 170,000 doses of the 2008-09 influenza season vaccine.

However, at a press briefing last night, Pandemic Expert Group chairman Dr William Hall dismissed what he said was ill-informed media speculation that the 2008-09 influenza season vaccine would be effective against the new virus.

Dr Hall said it was his own opinion that this would prove not to be the case.