575 on trolleys as flu activity escalates

As the number of patients on trolleys who are awaiting a hospital bed increased to 575 yesterday, the HSE warned that the nasty flu season is far from over.

There is a concern that the B strain in the flu vaccine is not the same as the circulating virus, but the health authority says there will be a degree of “cross-protection”.

A HSE spokesperson said flu activity would continue to increase over the next couple of weeks and, after, decline over a four- to five-week period.