Ronan Kelly
Retired 2020
Swine flu update: Majority of H1N1 deaths are not in youngest age groups
Most of those who have died from swine flu so far in Ireland were aged over-45, despite the widely reported view that the disease would worst affect younger people.
Nobody aged 0-four or 25-34 has died. Four deaths were among those aged 55-64, two deaths were among those aged over 65 and another two deaths were recorded among those aged 45-54.
There has been one death in a person aged between five and 14. There have been two deaths among those aged 15-24 and three among those aged 35-44.
The new figures from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) are based on the 14 deaths recorded up to the end of last week. All of those who died had an underlying condition. So far 665 people have been hospitalised with confirmed pandemic H1N1 influenza. Of those, 267 or 40 per cent has an underlying medical condition. A total of 54 people had to be admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU). As of last week 165 people were in hospital and 19 remained in an ICU.
The HSE has confirmed children aged between six months and five years, together with adults aged 65 and over, will form the next priority group to receive the vaccine.
Starting this week, the HSE is writing to parents of children aged from six months to under five years to let them know when it is time for them to bring their child to the HSE clinic for their vaccine. Parents of children in this group will begin to receive letters this week and throughout November and early December.
People aged 65 and over will begin to be invited over the coming fortnight.
?We have been giving the first supplies of vaccine to people more at risk from swine flu such as pregnant women, people with long term illness and cancer patients,? commented Dr Brenda Corcoran of the HSE National Immunisation Office.
?We now want to start offering the vaccine to all children aged over six months and under five years. Children in this age group are more at risk of getting swine flu and are also more at risk of being hospitalised because of complications, so we want to make sure that we protect as many children as possible from the effects of the flu,? she added.
Information on the vaccination campaign is available from www.swineflu.ie, www.hse.ie, or from the automated HSE Flu line 1800 94 11 00.
-Niamh Mullen and Dara Gantly
http://www.imt.ie/blogs/irish-Medical-Times-Blog/2009/11/swine-flu-update-majority-of-h.html
Most of those who have died from swine flu so far in Ireland were aged over-45, despite the widely reported view that the disease would worst affect younger people.
Nobody aged 0-four or 25-34 has died. Four deaths were among those aged 55-64, two deaths were among those aged over 65 and another two deaths were recorded among those aged 45-54.
There has been one death in a person aged between five and 14. There have been two deaths among those aged 15-24 and three among those aged 35-44.
The new figures from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) are based on the 14 deaths recorded up to the end of last week. All of those who died had an underlying condition. So far 665 people have been hospitalised with confirmed pandemic H1N1 influenza. Of those, 267 or 40 per cent has an underlying medical condition. A total of 54 people had to be admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU). As of last week 165 people were in hospital and 19 remained in an ICU.
The HSE has confirmed children aged between six months and five years, together with adults aged 65 and over, will form the next priority group to receive the vaccine.
Starting this week, the HSE is writing to parents of children aged from six months to under five years to let them know when it is time for them to bring their child to the HSE clinic for their vaccine. Parents of children in this group will begin to receive letters this week and throughout November and early December.
People aged 65 and over will begin to be invited over the coming fortnight.
?We have been giving the first supplies of vaccine to people more at risk from swine flu such as pregnant women, people with long term illness and cancer patients,? commented Dr Brenda Corcoran of the HSE National Immunisation Office.
?We now want to start offering the vaccine to all children aged over six months and under five years. Children in this age group are more at risk of getting swine flu and are also more at risk of being hospitalised because of complications, so we want to make sure that we protect as many children as possible from the effects of the flu,? she added.
Information on the vaccination campaign is available from www.swineflu.ie, www.hse.ie, or from the automated HSE Flu line 1800 94 11 00.
-Niamh Mullen and Dara Gantly
http://www.imt.ie/blogs/irish-Medical-Times-Blog/2009/11/swine-flu-update-majority-of-h.html