Flu death toll hits 15 but new cases fall
THE death toll from flu has risen to 15 so far this year, following confirmation that three more people have died of the illness.
But the levels of flu fell again last week and the numbers hospitalised with the virus also decreased, disease watchdogs revealed.
More than 4,100 new cases of flu-like illnesses were treated by doctors last week, down from over 9,000 when it reached record levels after Christmas.
Swine flu was no longer the dominant virus and the majority of cases last week were influenza B.
Both viruses are covered by the seasonal flu vaccine. Four in 10 of the patients hospitalised with flu last week were suffering from the influenza B strain, according to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre.
- Eilish O'Regan
Irish Independent
