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Irish scientists comment on flu case numbers.
Dr Connor Bamford, Lecturer, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, said:
“We are seeing the typical/predictable increase in seasonal viral infections, including respiratory (flu and RSV) as well as norovirus. These can cause lung diseases like pneumonia, or vomiting/diarrhea. These are driven in part by changes in temperature, sunlight, and people’s mixing patterns. This happens every year in temperate regions like Ireland. It is not clear whether there is something different about this season’s virus strains in Ireland.
“These infections can be very dangerous, although for most cause minor symptoms. In at-risk groups like elderly, very young, pregnant and immunocompromised, flu and RSV can be fatal. For flu and RSV we now have vaccines and immunisations that will help protect people, but for flu we know these vaccines are not 100% protective, and not enough people get them.
“It is likely we will see the peak of the cases in the next few weeks, which will be followed by weeks of more cases. Due to the lag in infections leading to deaths, we will then start to see the true effect of these infections in terms of fatalities. By March it is likely these infections will be at baseline level and then increase as usual this coming Autumn.
“I would be concerned about a new Covid wave in late winter/early spring. I would be paying attention to how well our immunisations worked, for example: was there a strain mismatch for influenza this year? And, I would compare RSV burden between RoI and NI as our control strategies differ (RoI has monoclonal antibody Nirsevimab, while NI has maternal and elderly vaccination).”
Declarations of Interest: None