Ireland

Child dies of swine flu in Dublin hospital

A child has died of swine flu in a Dublin hospital, after several days of treatment
A child has died of swine flu in a Dublin hospital, after several days of treatment A child has died of swine flu in a Dublin hospital, after several days of treatment

A child has died of swine flu in a Dublin hospital, after several days of treatment.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) said the death of the child, who was not from the Dublin area, happened last week.

A spokeswoman confirmed: "the child had contracted the flu virus H1N1.

"The ILI flu rates continue to rise and are expected to do so for one to two more weeks," she said.

"Those who have not got a vaccine at this stage are encouraged to do so as the vaccine covers the virus that is around at the moment.

"If you get the symptoms of flu you should stay at home look after yourself and get in touch with a GP if you think your condition is getting worse."

The child is reported to have been from the west of Ireland.

This winter, nine people have died from the flu, according to a HSE's Health Protection Surveillance Centre report.

There were 124 confirmed hospitalised cases of flu in the last week, with 344 total hospitalised cases notified during the 2015/2016 flu season.

Forty-five patients with flu have been admitted to intensive care units.

A number of deaths have been linked across Europe to the H1N1 strain of influenza this year, including in Russia where over 100 people have died from a swine flu outbreak.

Around 200,000 Irish people contracted the virus in the 2009 pandemic that lasted until the spring of 2010.