The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued a warning over a potentially killer strain of swine flu.
Dr Kevin Kelleher, the HSE’s Assistant National Director for Public Health, said the strain, known as H1N1, had been identified in up to four people who had died.
And it is likely to be discovered in more patients as winter progresses.
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“There are two types when we talk about this virus – A and B – this year we have the A strain which has a particular predilection for some people under 65,” he told the Independent.
“It has a predilection for people who have a previous medical condition like asthma or respiratory disease and for pregnant women.
“What we see is people with diseases end up in ICU or on a ventilator.”
Patients admitted to intensive care this year include people in their 20s, 30s and 40s.
The symptoms are often missed in the early stages of the illness, as they are similar to the common cold and flu.
Sufferers can experience coughing, a sore throat, achey joints and a runny or stuffy nose as well as coughing and diarrhoea.
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In more severe cases symptoms can escalate leading to more serious conditions such as pneumonia.
Anyone suffering from these symptoms should stay in bed and seek medical advice.
It is advised they do not to visit the elderly.
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