All seven heroin users who died as a result of "an unidentified severe illness" were men, the Eastern Regional Health Authority confirmed last night. The confirmation that all cases involved men rules out two women from investigations into the illness. The deaths of Ms Rosie Lakes and Ms Maureen Gleeson are under a separate, unrelated investigation by the gardai.
The US government's Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta is working with the authorities in Dublin on the investigations into the deaths.
The health authority has warned drug users not to inject heroin and to report any unusual illness, abscess or swelling to their doctor or hospital.
Meanwhile, another drug injector has in died in Glasgow, bringing the total number of deaths in Glasgow among heroin users recently to 12. The Glasgow health board and the Eastern Health Board have said there may be a link between the deaths in Scotland and the seven deaths in Dublin among heroin users.
The Glasgow health board said there was as yet not enough information to link the latest death, which occurred on Thursday, to the 11 deaths which are being investigated for what it described as an "illness outbreak".
In a statement yesterday the Greater Glasgow Health Board said that tissue samples from the 11 deceased had been sent by air to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. The tissue samples would be subject to a range of tests for toxins by the centre, the statement said.
Dr Jai Lingappa, an epidemiologist from Atlanta, had arrived yesterday to help the health board "plan further investigations", the statement added.
"Following intensive investigations over more than two weeks, the exact cause of the outbreak has not yet been pinpointed," the Glasgow health board said. A total of 25 people have been admitted to hospital in Glasgow connected with the illness.
This week, the Eastern Regional Health Authority confirmed that seven heroin users in Dublin had died since the beginning of this month, with 14 people admitted to hospital in that period. Gardai said those who died had abscesses on their bodies. The authority added: "These 14 cases appear to meet the case definition of the recent Glasgow cluster of heroin deaths."
Mr John Hamilton of the Greater Glasgow Health Board confirmed that there were abscesses on the bodies of the deceased in Glasgow.
Outreach workers were increasing street contacts with drug users in an attempt to disseminate information, according to the Eastern Regional Health Authority.
A drugs helpline has also been set up for people in Dublin. The number is 1800 459 459 and is available every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Emergency assessment services are being provided at the health authority's addiction centres around Dublin.