CMO warns of surge in cases of flu and Covid
In an update posted on social media, Professor Breda Smyth said the surge in flu cases is 80% up on last week. Picture: Collins
The Chief Medical Officer has warned there has been a significant surge in flu cases with Covid-19 cases "rapidly" on the rise.
In an update posted on social media, Professor Breda Smyth said the surge in flu cases is 80% up on last week.
"We have a number of patients in ICU with flu this week and unfortunately, none of them have had their flu vaccine.
"This year's flu season seems to be having a severe impact on children in particular," she said as she called on parents to consider getting their kids vaccinated.
The nasal flu vaccine and administration are free for everyone aged 2 to 17 years through the HSE's vaccination programme.
Prof Smyth warned that in Australia 60% of hospitaliSations were among children, with flu also causing a spike in child hospitalisations in Canada.
#flu and #COVID19 cases and hospitalisations have increased. Please come forward for your #fluvaccine and #CovidVaccines. Please stay home if you have any 'flu like symptoms. pic.twitter.com/ianCv4UGv6
— Chief Medical Officer (@CMOIreland) December 17, 2022
Data from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) shows in the week ending December 11, it was notified of 670 confirmed influenza cases.
This is a sharp rise from the 370 cases reported the previous week.
In the week ending December 11, notifications of flu increased in almost all age groups but mainly in those aged 65 years and older, it said.
Some 213 hospitalised confirmed influenza cases were reported to the HPSC.
Covid cases have also increased "rapidly" in the last three days, the CMO warned.
"Test positivity is now almost one in five. On average, we are now seeing 75 new hospitalisations per day with Covid."
In the week between December 4 and December 10, there were 1,947 new cases confirmed — a 5.1% increase from the previous week.
These stats are based on cases confirmed via a PCR test. In the same week, 5,446 positive antigen test results were registered on the HSE Positive Antigen Portal — an increase of 24.6% on the previous week.
In the same period, there were nine deaths related to Covid.
Prof Smyth urged people to get vaccinated saying they decrease the risk of being infected and reduce the risk of severe illness from Covid and flu.
Anyone who feels sick or who has flu-like symptoms is asked to stay at home.
