TWO RESIDENTS at a County Roscommon nursing home have died from an outbreak of a seasonal influenza strain – the same one which claimed the lives of seven residents in a home in Donegal earlier this year.

The HSE said 42 of the 76 residents at the Drumderrig House private nursing home in Boyle were affected by the outbreak, though there had not been any new infections confirmed in the last seven days.

The home has temporary ceased admissions and placed new restrictions on visitors. All patients at the home have been treated with antiviral medicines, while unaffected residents have been given preventative drugs wherever appropriate.

The HSE West public health team is working with the home to ensure that the appropriate control measures have been put in place.

In a statement the HSE said its role during an outbreak was to ensure that patients were managed to reduce infection and prevent the spread of disease wherever possible.

The Influenza A (H3) strain currently circulating is thought to have changed slightly from previous years, with the result that the seasonal flu vaccine cannot guarantee immunity from infection.

Seasonal flu vaccinations contain components to repel certain strains of the virus, as recommended by the UN’s World Health Organisation.

This year’s vaccine includes protection against the ‘traditional’ form of the H3 strain, as well as influenza B and the H1N1 swine flu variant.