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AS THE COUNTRY faces a prolonged cold spell, a specialist in geriatric medicine has warned of the health dangers of increasing “fuel poverty” among older people whose pensions have been hit by the economic recession. Meanwhile, rates of influenza infection have dropped sharply in the last week, signalling the beginning of the end of this winter’s flu outbreak.

Prof Des O’Neill, consultant geriatrician at the Adelaide and Meath Hospital, Tallaght, warned of a “perfect storm” leading to rising fuel poverty – with poor heating causing health problems in older people.