Ronan Kelly
Retired 2020
Swine-flu death toll rises to 14 as 30,000 catch virus in week
VICTIMS: Pregnant women hardest hit by killer illness
By Michael Lavery
Friday November 06 2009
Ireland's swine-flu death toll has climbed to 14 -- with 19 people still in intensive care units.
Four adults -- three women and one man -- from the east and south of the country died in the past week.
All of them had one or more underlying illnesses.
This bring the number of people to die from the pandemic H1N1 virus in the Republic to 14.
There are now 165 people in hospital suffering from the swine-flu virus, with 19 of those seriously ill.
Around 3pc of the population has contracted the virus to date.
The rate of flu has fallen, but this could be due to schools' mid-term break, experts said.
Around 30,000 people contracted the virus in the State during the past week.
The rate of infection fell from 210 to 178.5 cases per 100,000 of the population, with the highest rate of infection -- 383 cases per 100,000 -- recorded among children aged under four.
Dr Tony Holohan, chief medical officer of the Department of Health, told a briefing in Government Buildings that the weekly rates may have been skewed, as schools were on holidays and doctors' surgeries only opened for four days because of the bank holiday.
About 40pc of those hospitalised and 80pc of those treated in intensive care units have an underlying health condition.
Pregnant women in Ireland have been among the groups hardest hit by the virus, Dr Holohan said.
They have accounted for 6pc of patients hospitalised with the illness, and 16pc of those who ended up in intensive care.
Women in late pregnancy have been the most seriously ill, but there have been no deaths among pregnant women.
Dr Joan Gilvarry, of the Irish Medicines Board, said there have been 23 adverse reactions to the vaccine reported in Ireland, but none serious.
Restricted
They include muscle pain, a lump on the site of the injection and flu-like symptoms.
Meanwhile, a number of Dublin hospitals have enforced new policies in a bid to stop the transmission of the virus.
The city's three main maternity hospitals -- the Coombe, Rotunda and Holles Street -- said visiting would be restricted to the partner of or one nominated visitor for expectant mothers, new mothers and gynaecology in-patients.
The Department of Health has urged people to stay away from hospitals unless it is necessary and advised that children under 14 should avoid visiting hospitals because of the risk of transmission of influenza.
mlavery@herald.ie
http://www.herald.ie/national-news/...-14-as-30000-catch-virus-in-week-1936066.html
VICTIMS: Pregnant women hardest hit by killer illness
By Michael Lavery
Friday November 06 2009
Ireland's swine-flu death toll has climbed to 14 -- with 19 people still in intensive care units.
Four adults -- three women and one man -- from the east and south of the country died in the past week.
All of them had one or more underlying illnesses.
This bring the number of people to die from the pandemic H1N1 virus in the Republic to 14.
There are now 165 people in hospital suffering from the swine-flu virus, with 19 of those seriously ill.
Around 3pc of the population has contracted the virus to date.
The rate of flu has fallen, but this could be due to schools' mid-term break, experts said.
Around 30,000 people contracted the virus in the State during the past week.
The rate of infection fell from 210 to 178.5 cases per 100,000 of the population, with the highest rate of infection -- 383 cases per 100,000 -- recorded among children aged under four.
Dr Tony Holohan, chief medical officer of the Department of Health, told a briefing in Government Buildings that the weekly rates may have been skewed, as schools were on holidays and doctors' surgeries only opened for four days because of the bank holiday.
About 40pc of those hospitalised and 80pc of those treated in intensive care units have an underlying health condition.
Pregnant women in Ireland have been among the groups hardest hit by the virus, Dr Holohan said.
They have accounted for 6pc of patients hospitalised with the illness, and 16pc of those who ended up in intensive care.
Women in late pregnancy have been the most seriously ill, but there have been no deaths among pregnant women.
Dr Joan Gilvarry, of the Irish Medicines Board, said there have been 23 adverse reactions to the vaccine reported in Ireland, but none serious.
Restricted
They include muscle pain, a lump on the site of the injection and flu-like symptoms.
Meanwhile, a number of Dublin hospitals have enforced new policies in a bid to stop the transmission of the virus.
The city's three main maternity hospitals -- the Coombe, Rotunda and Holles Street -- said visiting would be restricted to the partner of or one nominated visitor for expectant mothers, new mothers and gynaecology in-patients.
The Department of Health has urged people to stay away from hospitals unless it is necessary and advised that children under 14 should avoid visiting hospitals because of the risk of transmission of influenza.
mlavery@herald.ie
http://www.herald.ie/national-news/...-14-as-30000-catch-virus-in-week-1936066.html