Two-year-old boy dies from swine flu

Published on 15/01/2011 10:25

A TWO-YEAR-OLD boy with swine flu has died in Northern Ireland.

The infant was from the Republic of Ireland, but was receiving intensive care treatment north of the border, according to the Public Health Agency.

"The Public Health Agency would like to extend its sympathy to the family of this child," said a PHA spokeswoman.

The death takes to 18 the confirmed number of people with the H1N1 virus that have died in Northern Ireland this flu season.

Information on whether the child had an underlying medical condition is not being released, but the fatality will nevertheless put further pressure on the authorities to rethink the policy decision not to vaccinate all under-fives against the virus, something which was done last year.

Only infants in "at risk" health categories are being vaccinated.