Irish swine flu cases hit 500 a week

AT least 500 people in Ireland are contracting swine flu every week, the latest briefing from the Department of Health reveals.

The figure is based on weekly reports from 50 GP practices around the country as part of a national influenza monitoring network.

It was also confirmed that two people are being treated in intensive care units, including a man in his 30s who is critically ill in St James’s Hospital in Dublin.

The man, who is originally from Slovakia, was admitted to hospital late last week. It is believed he contracted the virus abroad.

The department’s chief medical officer, Dr Tony Holohan, said 12 people with swine flu had been hospitalised to date.

According to the Department of Health, 226 cases of the virus have been confirmed. In 32 cases the virus was spread from person to person in Ireland.

Dr Holohan said laboratory testing on suspected cases had been significantly reduced. He said the anti-viral drug Tamiflu would no longer be given to prevent those at high risk of developing the illness. It would only be given to those with severe symptoms or underlying illness, but not to those with mild illnesses.

The Health Service Executive’s director of population Health, Dr Pat Doorley, said the delivery of 7.7 million doses of a vaccine to the entire population would take between six to 12 months to complete. Dr Doorley said contracts had been placed with two companies to supply the vaccine.

Down’s All-Ireland minor Gaelic football quarter-final with Dublin, due to take place on Saturday, has been postponed because of a suspected swine flu outbreak in the Mourne squad. Twenty players and two members of the management team have been affected by symptoms, with one case confirmed.

A GAA statement said: “Having taken advice from relevant medical personnel and taking into consideration the sheer number of players involved and general concerns expressed with respect to the swine flu pandemic, the CCCC [the GAA’s Central Competitions Control Committee] felt that the granting of a postponement in the unique circumstances was the only logical course of action,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, most company bosses fear at least one employee will fake swine flu this year.

Employment law firm Peninsula Ireland found that 70% of managers surveyed believe that a small number of employees will pretend to have caught the virus to dodge work.