Warning over flu after child fatality

Flu can be a very dangerous disease, a HSE medical official warned after it emerged that a child died from flu last week.

The child, who has not been identified, died last week in a Dublin hospital after contracting the H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu.

The HSE, who would only confirm that the child was not from Dublin, warned that flu rates were continuing to rise and were expected to do so for one to two more weeks.

Assistant national director for health protection with the HSE, Kevin Kelleher, said anyone could get the flu, if they had not received the vaccine.

Speaking on RTÉ radio, Dr Kelleher, said that while he could not talk about the child who died, he wanted people to realise that anyone could get the flu.

“When people die from the flu it is more often than not because they already had a pre-existing condition, such as heart disease or chest problems,” he said.

Unfortunately, it is also true that people who have been previously well and had no health problems can die from the flu, he said.

He said the number of people who had died from flu this winter was around what would be expected.

Dr Kelleher said there had been “nine or 10 direct deaths” from flu this winter.

According to the HSE’s Health Protection Surveillance Centre, 344 people suffering from the flu were admitted to hospital over the winter.

There were 18 confirmed flu cases admitted to critical care units, bringing the season total to 45 cases.

The HPSC said flu activity is increasing in Europe with the H1NI virus predominating this season.

Dr Kelleher said flu is responsible for hundreds of deaths among people who already had a pre-existing condition.

The HSE is urging people people who have not got the flu vaccine to get it as it covers the viruses around at the moment.

n HSE sickness advice — www.undertheweather.ie.