There has been a “significant increase” in hospitalisations arising from an upward trend in flu cases, according to interim Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Professor Mary Horgan.
Notified influenza cases increased by 67 per cent to 277 in the week leading to November 30th, according to data from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre.
Some 73 of those affected were hospitalised, one of whom was admitted to intensive care.
It was a significant jump from the 42 hospitalisations the week prior. This number has since risen to 149 people, according to Prof Horgan.
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The incidence of flu is highest among children aged between one and four, followed by those aged 80 and above.
It comes as high levels of flu activity are expected between Christmas and the new year amid “concern” over low vaccine uptake.
Noting a significant increase in hospitalisations last week, she said: “What we want to try to do, as much as possible, is avoid people not only getting into hospital but being in the ICU.”
Prof Horgan said she was “concerned” at flu and Covid-19 vaccine uptake levels.
Although more than 1.5 million vaccines have been administered this year, she said uptake “could be a lot better,” particularly coming into the Christmas season, after which a “peak” in flu activity is expected early in the new year.
The uptake of the nasal spray flu vaccine for children is currently at just under 16 per cent, while the rate for the flu vaccine among adults aged over 60 is 58.8 per cent.
“Nobody wants to get sick over Christmas and that’s when we would anticipate that it would really take off, so getting your flu vaccines now, particularly children and those at risk, is really important to do in the coming days,” she said, speaking on RTÉ's News at One.
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