THE INCIDENCE of flu in the Mid West was almost four times higher this past December than in the previous December 2023 flu season.
HSE figures have confirmed there are now more than 1,000 confirmed cases of flu in the Mid West.
There were 833 cases of flu confirmed in the region up to the end of December, compared to 277 in the same period last year.
This comes as one in 10 people admitted in a hospital bed at University Hospital Limerick are in case because of complications with the virus.
The numbers confirm the public perception that far more people have succumbed to the virus this year than in previous years.
Influenza is a notifiable disease under pubic health regulations and records show there were 833 confirmed cases in the Mid West up to the end of December. The latest available figures, which take account of cases up to January 5, show an additional 277 cases, making a total of 1,110 cases so far this flu season.
The true figure could be even higher as not all GPs test for flu and and not all those with flu seek medical attention.
The weekly numbers have dropped off from a high of 427 confirmed cases in the week before Christmas, but health experts have warned that a second peak could be on the way with children returning to school and adults returning to the workplace.
Chief Clinical Officer Dr Colm Henry said the peak of the current winter wave of cases is expected in the coming days.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland radio programme, he said that he expects “to see is those cases peaking sometime around this week”.
Dr Henry added that the uptake of the vaccine had been disappointing as he urged parents to have their children vaccinated against influenza.
He also encouraged people with flu-like symptoms to stay home, take paracetamol or ibuprofen, drink liquids, rest, and not go to work.
A combination of people suffering exacerbated flu symptoms and ailments – particularly respiratory ailments – and injuries associated with the cold snap have seen large numbers of admitted patients waiting on trolleys for in-hospital beds after coming through the emergency department at University Hospital Limerick.
According to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation’s Trolley Watch count, there were 138 people on trolleys waiting for in-hospital beds on Monday, 109 on Tuesday, and 125 this Wednesday.
UHL has made face masks mandatory for anyone using the hospital services or visiting patients, and has appealed for people to consider other treatment options such as the injury units in St John’s, Ennis, and Nenagh hospitals if they have problem that can be dealt with there.
