Number of new swine flu cases falls below 1,000

An estimated 15% of people in Ireland have contracted swine flu since the outbreak of the virus last spring.

However health officials say only one in three people have shown the symptoms of H1N1.

The number of new cases of the virus over the last week fell to below 1,000, with the death toll from swine flu remaining at 22.

Dr Pat Doorley from the HSE said over 800,000 people or 18% of the population have so far been vaccinated.