The number of confirmed cases of swine flu in Ireland has almost doubled during the past two weeks, according to new figures from the Department of Health.
There are now 23 confirmed cases of H1N1 in Ireland, four of which involved in-country transmission.
On June 11th, the day when the World Health Organisation (WHO) raised its pandemic flu alert to phase 6 on a six-point scale, indicating the first influenza pandemic since 1968, there were 12 confirmed cases in the country.
A "pandemic" simply means that there has been sustained human to human transmission of the virus in more than one region.
Among the latest cases to be confirmed in Ireland is that of a 7-year-old girl in Castlebar, Co Mayo. A second child is being tested for the virus in Tralee, Co Kerry.
The number of confirmed cases of H1N1 worldwide now totals 52160 cases in more than 80 countries, including 231 deaths, according to WHO.
The first reported death from the virus was reported in Asia yesterday where a 49-year-old woman from Manila in the Philipines died from congestive heart failure after contacting the H1N1 virus.
The Department of Health & Children and the HSE are continuing to plan and prepare in the event of widespread transmission of the disease in Ireland.
The HSE says it has accumulated anti-viral stockpiles to treat almost half of the population.
At this stage the pandemic is being characterised globally as moderate in severity.
Speaking at the weekend, the chief medical officer at the Department of Health, Dr Tony Holohan, said Ireland will continue to see cases of swine flu at a low level over the summer but is preparing for an "upswing" in the autumn.
He added that while the virus is easily transmitted it is a mild illness in the great majority of people who get it.
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