There have been 62 patients with flu admitted to intensive care since the beginning of the flu season at the end of September. The most recent figures show there were 3,287 cases of flu in the week ending December 13th, up from 2,943 the previous week. Health chiefs had been predicting up to 1,500 flu cases could be hospitalised at the height of the surge, but this has been reduced to up to 1,100. However, the number of outbreaks of viruses is increasing, with 80 occurring last year, up from 62 the previous week. There were 56 cases of the virus last week, up almost 65 per cent on the 34 cases in the previous week.

Source: The Irish Times December 18, 2025 15:57 UTC