1,500 swine flu victims seen by docs last week; ..THAT'S THREE TIMES MORE THAN HEALTH CHIEFS ADMITTED.

Byline: SENAN HOGAN

UP to 1,500 people visited their GPs last week with flulike symptoms - three times the number revealed by health chiefs.

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre said it expects the figure to increase in coming weeks as schools and colleges reopen.

HPSC director Dr Darina O'Flanagan said of the infection total: "We would expect to see this figure increase in coming weeks."

The shock figures come from the Irish College of General Practitioners which believes 37 in every 100,000 of the population are showing symptoms.

Two patients who contracted H1N1 are still being treated in intensive care units including a Slovakian national aged in his 30s. Some 12 people have been hospitalised so far.

Opposition parties called for a nationwide vaccine programme to be rolled out immediately and for the HSE to publish its contingency plans for the H1N1 virus.

Labour's health spokeswoman Jan O'Sullivan said: "We have reached crisis point.

"There doesn't seem to be any sign of the vaccines. It is critical we see a roll-out soon before the schools and colleges return.

"Dozens of employees are already off work around the country."

Fine Gael's health spokesman Dr James Reilly called on the HSE to publish its national contingency plan for dealing with a potential pandemic.

Experts have predicted between 5,800 and 78,000 hospital admissions across the country depending on the severity of the outbreak.

Dr Reilly said: "We may not be prepared for the best-case scenario, not to mention the worst-case scenario."

The HSE's 24-hour flu information line is available on freephone 1800 94 11 00.

Irish Mirror Comment: Page 14

Symptoms

The symptoms of swine flu are generally more aggressive than normal seasonal flu.

They include a sudden fever and severe tiredness. While it is usually a mild disease some people may develop complications such as pneumonia. The virus is also highly contagious.