Swine flu may infect more than one million Irish

MORE than one million Irish people could become infected with swine flu over the coming months, Ireland’s chief medical officer has warned.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner after a letter was sent to all GPs informing them of new measures to tackle a surge in infections, Department of Health chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said the high-level figure was closer to becoming a reality.

While the impact of the virus in Ireland to date has been mild, evidence from previous worldwide pandemics indicates that between 20% and 40% of the population will become infected with the virus, Dr Holohan said.