Public Health Mid-West is advising people to avail of a flu vaccination to reduce the risk of severe illness.
The office says cases of influenza were relatively stable through February but that there were 19 cases in the week Feb 27th to March 5th. Public Health Midwest says flu is highly infectious and affects all age groups and may result in serious disease with poor outcomes for the most vulnerable, particularly the elderly and those with weak immune systems. It can also have a negative impact on healthcare settings where an outbreak occurs. The office says it is expecting further increases in cases in the community as society returns to pre-pandemic levels of social activity. While the flu did not circulate widely in the Mid-West last season, influenza is now circulating as the numbers of cases notified have increased in recent weeks. People are advised to get their information about the flu vaccine from trusted sources such as their GP or the HSE website.
