Three more people have died of swine flu in the Republic and the infection rate in the community has nearly doubled in the past week, the Department of Health said tonight.
The Department said all three fatalities involved adults who had an underlying health condition.
The latest deaths bring to eight the number of people who have died of the H1N1 virus. All had underlying medical conditions.
The Department of Health said there were 81 fresh hospital admissions last week with seven admissions to intensive care.
The infection rate in the community now stands at 158 per 100,000, up from 97 last week.
Amongst children under five, the rate of increase is even more dramatic. Last week, it was 239 per 100,000, compared with 86.1 per 100,000 a week earlier. The rate of infection of children aged between five and 14 was 448.5 per 100,000, up from 170 the week before.
A Department spokesman said the sharp rise in infection rates highlighted how vital it was for people in risk groups to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Supplies of the pandemic vaccine for at-risk groups aged six months to 65 years are now being distributed to GPs in the Republic with a view to commencing vaccinations on November 2nd.
Dublin’s three children’s hospitals have restricted visiting due to a significant increase in the numbers of children being hospitalised with swine flu. Two of the hospitals are also cancelling some elective surgery and there has been a huge increase in the numbers of children attending the hospital’s emergency departments.
In a joint statement yesterday, the Children’s University Hospital, Temple Street; Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin; and the National Children’s Hospital, Tallaght, said visiting was being restricted to parents and guardians until further notice. This was “due to the increased numbers of children attending the hospitals with influenza like illness/suspected pandemic (H1N1) 2009 swine flu”.
Eight people have died of swine flu in Northern Ireland. In addition, one person from the North has died in England and another died in Spain. Vaccination campaigns began in the UK and in the North yesterday, starting with healthcare workers and at-risk patients in hospitals.