Two people have died in the Republic in the last week after suffering from flu.
Both deaths occurred in patients with underlying medical conditions, the Department of Health said. One of the deceased was over 65 years of age.
The number of people suffering from flu and needing hospital care has continued to increase, with 393 cases taken in for treatment up until yesterday, officials said.
In the past week, doctors have diagnosed over 9,180 new cases. The H1N1 virus - referred to as human swine flu - now accounts for around 80 per cent of all confirmed influenza cases.
Statistics gathered by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) revealed 72 people were admitted to intensive care for treatment.
The HPSC said it expects to see continued elevated influenza activity for several weeks. A total of 17 people have died in the North this winter after contracting the H1N1 strain.
PA