The flu virus has been detected in Ireland for the first time this winter, though the National Reference Laboratory (NRL) attached to UCD has said the number of cases is small.
Influenza virus type A has been identified in a number of patients in the Dublin area since November 23rd. This is similar to the type which was prevalent last winter but did not reach epidemic levels. The flu vaccine administered by GPs this autumn is effective against this type.
A spokesman for the NRL said yesterday it had simply issued a warning that the virus was being detected, but stressed it was not a major health concern so far. Other indications from GPs suggested numbers of people with flu-like symptoms were low.
Studies of flu in Europe at present were showing-up two strains of type A in circulation, and the vaccine would protect against both, he confirmed. The exact strains found in Ireland have yet to be confirmed.
Levels of Irish flu surveillance were low up to recently but with the setting-up of the National Disease Surveillance Centre, a more accurate picture is emerging, facilitated by GPs submitting more samples for evaluation. Should an epidemic occur, some GPs will also be conducting medical trials on new flu treatments.
Doctors involved in surveillance are not seeing large numbers with flu but this may be about to change, said Dr Michael Boland, director of the Irish College of General Practitioners' postgraduate research centre. They are analysing data on a week-by-week basis. "We are not getting reports of epidemic proportions of flu," he added.
GPs have worked on a Statewide influenza vaccination campaign in recent months despite a failure to reach agreement with health boards on payment for the scheme. Medical card-holders were given the service free of charge, while the Irish Medical Organisation urged older people and others at risk to avail of the vaccination. Some 250,000 people were vaccinated last year in a pilot campaign.
Even at this point, it is not possible to quantify the immediate risk posed by the virus, but flu experts are concerned that increased air travel associated with the millennium, and the fact there has been no epidemic for several years, increase the chances of a major outbreak.
