Flu virus in overcrowded A&Es ‘will lead to deaths’

Hospitals risk seeing the “most vulnerable” people in society being “picked off” through needless flu-linked deaths unless they take urgent action to address the emergency department overcrowding crisis.

Irish Association for Emergency Medicine spokesperson and emergency department consultant at Sligo General, Dr Fergal Hickey, issued the warning after it was claimed up to 1,000 people could die because year’s vaccine for the virus is only 25% effective

Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland programme, the senior physician said at least three people have already died from the flu since the annual season for the potentially lethal virus began at the start of the year.