People with the flu or flu symptoms are currently making up half of all patients in hospital emergency departments as this year’s winter flu season has entered its peak, according to health officials. At least 18 people have died from the flu to date with up to 100 people expected to die before the winter flu season ends. “About 50 per cent of people in our emergency departments are there because of flu,” she said. Minister for Health Simon Harris said the high numbers of flu patients presenting to emergency departments had put “significant pressure” on hospitals. “People don’t attend our emergency departments lightly, people do get complications of the flu, it can be a very severe illness,” she said.

Source: The Irish Times December 27, 2019 14:34 UTC