THE NUMBER of people who have died in Northern Ireland from swine flu since November has increased by three from 14 to 17, according to the latest figures from the North’s Public Health Agency (PHA).
A total of 45 people died in Britain and Northern Ireland from the H1N1 or swine flu virus.
Dr Carolyn Harper, the PHA’s director of public health said the relatively higher rate of fatalities recorded in Northern Ireland was down to better processing of data in the North compared to Britain.
Currently 33 people, three of them children, are receiving “critical care” treatment in Northern hospitals for swine flu. While most of the deaths were of flu patients with underlying conditions, people without such conditions were also susceptible to the virus, while better able to cope with it.
The PHA’s chief medical officer, Dr Michael McBride, said the situation was “busy but manageable” in the hospitals in relation to swine flu. “The pattern of illness is no different than the rest of the UK. There are some encouraging signs that we may be reaching the peak of the current flu activity,” Dr McBride said.
