Flu cases almost trebled in 2018

Flu cases almost trebled year-on-year in 2018.

The HSE has appealed to people to get their vaccines on time, as they released the last full weekly disease report of 2018.

The report documents the number of recorded diseases nationwide by the week ending December 29.

It records 11,708 cases of influenza in 2018, compared to 3,369 in 2017.

Mumps cases almost doubled; from 291 cases in 2017 to 577 cases in 2018.

And measles more than tripled; from 25 cases in 2017 to 82 cases last year. 

Meanwhile, there were five cases of rubella recorded last year, compared to zero in 2017.

On a positive note, there was a notable decrease in the rotavirus infection, a serious stomach bug.

In 2017, 2305 cases were recorded. However, last year, there were just 636 cases of the virus.

There was also a notable decrease in whooping cough cases, with 117 cases recorded in 2018, compared to 263 the year before.

Sharing the information online, the HSE National Immunisation Centre added that “the best way to prevent outbreaks of disease is by getting your vaccines on time”.

Yesterday, the HSE warned that rising flu levels will impact on the number of Emergency Department attendances and admissions over the coming weeks.

They said that while flu-like illness has not had a significant impact on numbers attending Emergency Departments to date, they are now seeing signs that flu levels are rising and say they expect this will impact on the number of attendances and admissions in the coming weeks.

Source: Read Full Article