There were a total of 2,319 confirmed cases of flu over Christmas week, according to the latest figures from the infectious diseases watchdog. The country is experiencing a significant surge in infection, which is placing pressure across both hospitals and community healthcare facilities.
A spokeswoman for the HSE said as of Thursday morning there were a total of 1,034 influenza-confirmed patients in hospital, an increase from Wednesday morning’s figure of 1,001, and almost double the 632 patients last Thursday. The spokeswoman said there was a “growing number of people in hospital with flu and cases are increasing daily”.
On Thursday the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) published data on the prevalence of the flu up to December 28th. According to the HPSC, more than one third of cases that week (864) were among children aged 14 and under, while adults aged 65 or older were the second most affected age group, accounting for 673 cases. That same week there were 520 hospitalisations of people with the virus and one admission to intensive care.
There were no new deaths last week, meaning there remains a total of six flu deaths between the end of September and the end of December.
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According to the watchdog there were 44 flu outbreaks that week, almost all of which were in healthcare and residential institutions.
A number of hospitals have brought in visitor restrictions to cope with the surge of flu cases, while in some cases patients and visitors are being required to wear a face covering when attending.
Bernard Gloster, chief executive of the HSE, said the system was managing “very well”, and it had improved when compared to previous years, but acknowledged it was “under pressure”.
“Our hospitals are operating infection-prevention control measures, and we ask everyone to help and co-operate, including with any visitor restrictions that may be in place,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Irish Medical Organisation has called for healthcare to be the “central pillar” of the next programme for government, stating the current flu crisis highlighted the need “to address capacity and resourcing issues as a matter of urgency”.
Dr Denis McCauley, president of the IMO, said the flu crisis has highlighted how vulnerable the healthcare system was to shifts in demand. “The entire system of GP and hospital health services should not come to a crisis point because of a predictable jump in illness from something like a seasonal flu. We are pushing our health services too hard, for too much of the year, and there is no spare capacity to cope with something like a flu outbreak.”
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