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10 January 2011
Last updated at 01:37 ET
Another person has died from swine flu in Northern Ireland, bringing the total number to 14 since November, the Public Health Agency (PHA) has confirmed.
Dr Carolyn Harper said the PHA had information on ten of those deaths and all have underlying health conditions.
Those who have died range from children to a 67-year-old.
Across the UK, 50 deaths have been reported as a result of the flu virus. Of those, 45 died with swine flu and five with another strain.
Dr Harper said the figures had been released in the light of the level of public interest.
"We have had now 14 swine flu deaths in Northern Ireland. We have information on 10 of those cases and all of those have underlying health problems.
"With the remaining four, we do not yet know whether or not they had underlying health problems," she said.
However, she stressed that most people recover from the virus.
"This is consistent with the pattern we have seen through the pandemic last year," she said.
"This is an infection which particularly affects people with an underlying condition and there's been no change to that pattern."
Vast majority Dr Harper said PHA figures indicated that the 15-44 age group had the highest rate of infection
"For the majority of people flu remains a mild, self-limiting, often unpleasant infection, but nonetheless the vast majority recover," she said.
Dr Harper encouraged anyone suffering from symptoms to limit the spread of infection by staying at home. However she advised that anyone not feeling better after two to three days should contact their doctor.
Previously the doctor in charge of acute hospital services in Belfast said there are fewer critical cases of swine flu, but those affected were more ill.
Dr Patricia Donnelly said although critical care units were busy, beds were still available in Belfast and across Northern Ireland.
She said in Belfast there were five patients with swine flu in critical care out of a total of 33.
Across NI the number was fluctuating between 25% and 35% of critical beds.
The government has urged people in at-risk groups, including pregnant women, to get a flu jab.
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Dr Carolyn Harper said the PHA had information on ten of those deaths and all have underlying health conditions.
Those who have died range from children to a 67-year-old.
Across the UK, 50 deaths have been reported as a result of the flu virus. Of those, 45 died with swine flu and five with another strain.
Dr Harper said the figures had been released in the light of the level of public interest.
"We have had now 14 swine flu deaths in Northern Ireland. We have information on 10 of those cases and all of those have underlying health problems.
"With the remaining four, we do not yet know whether or not they had underlying health problems," she said.
However, she stressed that most people recover from the virus.
"This is consistent with the pattern we have seen through the pandemic last year," she said.
"This is an infection which particularly affects people with an underlying condition and there's been no change to that pattern."
Vast majority Dr Harper said PHA figures indicated that the 15-44 age group had the highest rate of infection
"For the majority of people flu remains a mild, self-limiting, often unpleasant infection, but nonetheless the vast majority recover," she said.
Dr Harper encouraged anyone suffering from symptoms to limit the spread of infection by staying at home. However she advised that anyone not feeling better after two to three days should contact their doctor.
Previously the doctor in charge of acute hospital services in Belfast said there are fewer critical cases of swine flu, but those affected were more ill.
Dr Patricia Donnelly said although critical care units were busy, beds were still available in Belfast and across Northern Ireland.
She said in Belfast there were five patients with swine flu in critical care out of a total of 33.
Across NI the number was fluctuating between 25% and 35% of critical beds.
The government has urged people in at-risk groups, including pregnant women, to get a flu jab.
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