Winter flu deaths rise to 45 but worst of season over, says HSE

The number of flu deaths this winter has climbed to 45 but the worst is over for this season, figures indicate.

Hospitals have notified more than 1,500 cases of the virus, the majority of them belonging to the H1N1 strain linked to swine flu, according to the Health Service Executive. These have resulted in 125 admissions to critical care.

However, flu activity is declining significantly and stands below the baseline level after 10 weeks above it, the HSE’s Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) says.

Last week, the illness rate fell to 16.9 cases per 100,000 of population compared to 29.5 a fortnight earlier and marginally below the baseline rate of 18. The number of cases has fallen now for five consecutive weeks.

The HPSC says this year’s flu vaccine provided good coverage for H1N1 strains of the virus but not for the less prevalent influenza B strains.

It says that two acute respiratory/influenza outbreaks were reported in the east of the country last week.

Across Europe, flu activity may have peaked, though in recent weeks there has been a shift towards influenza B circulation among the cases reported