Flu: Children hit hardest as cases in Northern Ireland surge

A consultant in paediatric emergency medicine is currently witnessing what she describes as the most intense flu outbreak in her experience. Official data from Northern Ireland indicates a sharp rise in flu cases among both adults and children, with confirmed infections climbing 77% over the course of a week—from 273 to 484 cases. Young children, especially those under five, have been disproportionately affected, with hospital admissions for this age group outpacing others during this time frame.

At the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, Dr Julie-Ann Maney reports that her department is exceptionally busy due to the surge in flu infections. She notes, “I have been a consultant since 2010 and this is the most severe influenza outbreak that I have experienced.” Dr Maney explains that the current flu strain is particularly aggressive, leading to children suffering from prolonged high fevers and extended illness durations beyond what is typically expected.

Each winter sees an increase in flu cases, but experts warn that this season might be the most severe in a decade, driven by a newly mutated form of the virus. According to the latest figures from the Public Health Agency (PHA), the flu infection rate in the week ending 23 November rose to 25.4 cases per 100,000 people, up from 14.3 per 100,000 the week before. Dr Peter Naughton, a health protection consultant with the PHA, highlighted the earlier onset of this flu season along with the notably higher number of positive test results among children. “One utter new feature of the flu season this year has been the higher rate of positive tests we’ve seen in children,” he remarked.

At the same hospital, consultant paediatrician Dr Thomas Bourke has observed the number of flu cases doubling. He urged parents to seek emergency care only if their child is seriously ill, acknowledging the difficulty families face when managing illness at home. Dr Bourke pointed out that numerous resources are available to assist parents in assessing their child’s symptoms. The Belfast Trust’s website, for instance, offers a symptom checker aimed at helping families determine the severity of flu symptoms. Most children tend to recover within approximately a week without requiring specific treatment

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