BBC
Dr Julie-Ann Maney says children are being hit hard by this year’s flu strain
A paediatric emergency medicine consultant is seeing the “most severe influenza outbreak” she has experienced.
Flu cases among adults and children across Northern Ireland have more than trebled in the last two weeks, rising from 273 to 954, official figures show.
Children and young people have been particularly affected, with under-fives among those most likely to be admitted to hospital with flu in that period.
In the week ending 30 November the positivity rate for influenza was highest among children aged five to 14 in Northern Ireland, at 54.2%.
Dr Julie-Ann Maney, who works at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, said her department has been “extremely busy” due to the rise in cases.
“I have been a consultant since 2010 and this is the most severe influenza outbreak that I have experienced,” she said.
“This is a particularly virulent strain of influenza and there are lots of children experiencing very high temperatures and they are experiencing the flu for much longer than we would expect.”
Máirtín Mac Gabhann
Máirtín Mac Gabhann said Dr Julie-Ann Maney came to see his son Dáithí who was admitted to hospital with flu
Máirtín Mac Gabhann’s son Dáithí, who inspired a change in Northern Ireland’s organ donation rules, tested positive for the flu at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children.
“Flu can knock anybody off their feet,” Mr Mac Gabhann told BBC Radio Ulster’s Talkback programme.
“But the thing about vulnerable people like Dáithí is that it can be catastrophic for them – so when I heard the word flu yesterday my heart sank.
“Thankfully he is doing really well.”
Mr Mac Gabhann told BBC News NI Dr Maney stopped in to tell Dáithí how proud they all are of him.
“Even being flat out and run off her feet and she still has time to make my son feel like that. Legend,” he said.
Flu cases surge every winter, but experts have predicted this could be the worst flu season for a decade, fuelled by a new mutated flu virus.
In the week ending 30 November, the influenza infection rate stood at 49.9 cases per 100,000 people – up from 25.4 per 100,000 the previous week, according to the latest data published by the Public Health Agency (PHA).
It also showed there were 264 flu-related emergency hospital admissions last week, up from 145 the week before.
Dr Peter Naughton, a health protection consultant with the PHA, said the flu season had started earlier this year, and there had been a higher number of cases.
“One utter new feature of the flu season this year has been the higher rate of positive tests we’ve seen in children,” he said.
‘Not too late to get vaccinated’
Mike Nesbitt visited the Ulster Hospital’s vaccination centre on Thursday
Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said it is not too late to get vaccinated for the flu during a visit to the Ulster Hospital’s vaccination centre on Thursday morning.
“This is a particularly bad flu season because it’s come very early and it’s hitting really hard,” he said.
“The best defence against catching the flu is the vaccine.”
The current uptake of the flu vaccine in Northern Ireland is about 67% in those over 65 – which is less than the World Health Organization’s recommendation of 75%.
Rachel Spiers, the senior immunisation programme manager at the PHA said they would like to reach that target this year.
“Uptake generally has declined in the last decade among all age ranges,” she said.
Ms Speirs added uptake among children aged between two and four has been particularly low in recent years.
“We would strongly encourage parents to come forward to vaccinate their preschool child,” she said.
“Similarly it has been a wee bit lower in the schools programme as well so we would like to see that much higher.”
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Hospitals are seeing increased numbers of children with the flu
Dr Thomas Bourke, a consultant paediatrician who works at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, said cases have doubled.
He urged parents to only take their children to the emergency department if they are seriously unwell.
“We understand it’s very difficult for parents when their child is sick at home but there are lots of sources of information and places where they can get support,” he said.
The Belfast Trust has a symptom checker on their website to help parents judge how serious their child’s symptoms are.
Most children recover from the flu without any treatment in about a week, it says on the website.
The emergency department at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children is extremely busy as a result of flu cases
What are the main symptoms of flu?
- A sudden, intense fever
- Breathing difficulties
- Severe chest pains
- Aches all over
- Feeling hot and cold
- Feeling lethargic
- Having sensitive skin
- Suffering from vomiting and diarrhoea
How to prevent the flu
The Trust said on its website regular hand washing, not sharing cups or cutlery and encouraging children to sneeze into a tissue are all ways to help prevent the virus from spreading.
It also said yearly flu vaccines reduce the risk of children getting unwell with the flu and also reduce the risk of them transmitting it to family members.
Dr Bourke, who is also the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health officer for Ireland, said vaccination remains the “frontline defence” against the flu.
“Last year 862 children and young people were admitted to hospital with influenza in Northern Ireland,” he said.
He added data from southern hemisphere countries, which have already had their flu season, suggests there could be even more admissions this year.
