Elderly Donegal man being treated for suspected vCJD

Doctors in the north-west are reportedly treating an elderly man suspected of contracting vCJD, the human form of mad cow disease.

Reports this morning said the nursing home patient from north Donegal was showing symptoms of the illness, but a diagnosis had not been confirmed.

The local branch of the Health Service Executive would not confirm details of the case, but this morning's reports said the man was believed to be in a critical condition.

Yesterday, Labour Party TD Eamon Gilmore raised concerns about vCJD in the Dáil and asked what the Government was doing to prevent people from contracting the illness.

He said a 24-year-old Dublin man who has been in hospital with vCJD for eight months had definitely contracted the disease in Ireland as he had never been in any country.

Mr Gilmore said the man's family had asked him to raise the matter with the Health Minister as they believed it was of major public concern.