THE NUMBER of human swine flu cases presenting to GPs last week increased by about 350, according to Department of Health figures.
In the seven days up to last Sunday, the incidence of the H1N1 virus was 42.2 cases per 100,000 of population, the equivalent of about 1,800 cases nationally.
Deputy chief medical officer Dr John Devlin said the virus was mild in most cases and that the majority of infections are now being acquired in the community.
Speaking at a briefing in Government Buildings last night, Dr Devlin said a total of 62 people had received hospital treatment for swine flu to date, an increase of 12 in the last week, and that 19 people remained in hospital, with four in intensive care.
He said about 80 per cent of swine flu cases were among people under 35 years of age and that there had been 26 localised outbreaks of the virus in the State. Some 46 per cent of those who had received treatment had a serious underlying illness.
Two people have died from swine flu here in recent weeks, but Dr Devlin said this did not mean the virus was becoming more serious. “The most important factor is that symptoms are mild in the majority of cases,” he said.
The fatalities were a “big disappointment” and that he could not comment on the circumstances surrounding the deaths, he said.
Dr Devlin said the level of the virus in the community was relatively low in comparison to the rate of seasonal flu cases last winter, 120 per 100,000 of population, but that the number of swine flu cases will rise later this year.
Dr Pat Doorley, the Health Service Executive (HSE) national director of population health, said there was no reason for schools not to reopen as normal in September and that the HSE had spoken to the Department of Education and teachers groups about the matter.
Dr Doorley said hand hygiene and coughing etiquette would be important and that teachers would have to be vigilant of students showing signs of the H1N1 virus when classes resume.
He said the development of a national vaccination programme was an “enormous project” and that discussions about vaccine licensing and the delivery schedule were ongoing.
