First case of winter flu came at end of December

The first case of flu this season was detected here in a man in the last week of December and was reported yesterday by the Health…

The first case of flu this season was detected here in a man in the last week of December and was reported yesterday by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre in its weekly influenza surveillance bulletin.

The strain is influenza A, and it will take another week for the National Virus Reference Laboratory to sub-type it to find the exact strain. There are many strains of the influenza virus, one of which is avian flu, H5N1.

Dr Joan O'Donnell, specialist in public health medicine with the surveillance centre, said yesterday she did not believe it would be the deadly H5N1 strain, as this had only been reported in countries where there had been outbreaks in poultry flocks.

Dr O'Donnell stressed it was normal to have cases of flu at this time of year, and in other years flu activity had peaked earlier. She urged anyone in an at-risk group who had not yet had the flu jab to do so now.

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These include people over 65 and those with weakened immune systems, diabetes or chronic heart disease.

In addition, she said, anyone with flu-like symptoms should stay indoors, keep warm, rest, take paracetamol and drink plenty of fluids. If their condition deteriorated, they should see a doctor.

They should limit their contacts and wash their hands with soap and water, particularly after coughing and sneezing.

The main difference between the common cold and flu is that flu symptoms come on rapidly and are typically accompanied by muscle aches and a fever. The common cold has a more insidious onset and is associated with a runny nose, sneezing and blocked nasal passages.

Flu symptoms include a temperature of 38 degrees or more with a dry cough, headache, sore muscles and sore throat.