Elderly woman's flu death prompts infection alert

A north Co Dublin hospital has put infection control procedures in place after one patient died and several others fell ill.

An elderly woman contracted the Influenza type A virus symptoms in St Ita’s Hospital in Portrane and later died in Beaumont Hospital.

A further seven patients in the facility’s Old Age Psychiatry Ward also developed flu-like symptoms between March 6 and 18 and were transferred to Beaumont.

“One remains in the Intensive Care Unit, five are comfortable and stable and one has been discharged back to St Ita’s,” a Health Service Executive (HSE) spokeswoman said.

She added: “St Ita’s engaged the service of public health specialists to advise and assist. All precautionary measures have been taken on the advice of the HSE. Infection control procedures are in place and visiting restrictions are in place.

“There are no similar cases reported in adjacent wards.”

The HSE offered its sympathies to the family of the deceased woman.