Surveillance of the first 205 confirmed hospitalised cases of pandemic H1N1 influenza in Ireland, 28 April – 3 October 2009

G Cullen; J Martin; J O’Donnell; M Boland; M Canny; E Keane; A McNamara; A O’Hora; M Fitzgerald; S Jackson; D Igoe; D O’Flanagan

doi:10.2807/ese.14.44.19389-en

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Surveillance of the first 205 confirmed hospitalised cases of pandemic H1N1 influenza in Ireland, 28 April – 3 October 2009
G Cullen¹ , J Martin¹ , J O’Donnell¹ , M Boland² , M Canny³ , E Keane⁴ , A McNamara⁵ , A O’Hora¹ , M Fitzgerald¹ , S Jackson¹ , D Igoe¹ , D O’Flanagan¹
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Affiliations: ¹ Health Protection Surveillance Centre, Dublin, Ireland ² Department of Public Health, HSE East, Ireland ³ Department of Public Health, HSE West, Ireland ⁴ Department of Public Health, HSE South, Ireland ⁵ Department of Public Health, HSE Dublin, Mid Leinster, Ireland

Correspondence:
J Martin
jennifer.martin hse.ie
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Citation style for this article: Cullen G, Martin J, O’Donnell J, Boland M, Canny M, Keane E, McNamara A, O’Hora A, Fitzgerald M, Jackson S, Igoe D, O’Flanagan D. Surveillance of the first 205 confirmed hospitalised cases of pandemic H1N1 influenza in Ireland, 28 April – 3 October 2009. Euro Surveill. 2009;14(44):pii=19389. https://doi.org/10.2807/ese.14.44.19389-en Received: 19 Oct 2009

Abstract

From 28 April 2009 to 3 October 2009, 205 cases of confirmed pandemic H1N1 influenza were hospitalised in Ireland. Detailed case-based epidemiological information was gathered on all hospitalised cases. Age-specific hospitalisation rates were highest in the age group of 15 to 19 year-olds and lowest in those aged 65 years and over. Nineteen hospitalised cases (9%) were admitted to intensive care units (ICU) where the median length of stay was 24 days. Four hospitalised cases (2%) died. Fifty-one percent of hospitalised cases and 42% of ICU cases were not in a recognised risk group. Asthma was the most common risk factor among cases; however, people with haemoglobinopathies and immunosuppression were the most over-represented groups.