Senior HSE officer urges public to get vaccinated as winter infections continue to rise

CCO Dr Colm Henry said: 'We saw a 92% increase in people with flu and a 77% increase in people with covid-19 attending EDs in the first week of 2024 compared to the week before.' Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Irish emergency departments saw a sharp increase in people sick with flu and covid-19 in the first week of January, the HSE chief clinical officer has warned.

The rising numbers of patients are putting pressure on space, with the number of patients on trolleys without a bed also rising in recent days.