Flu cases are rising sharply across Northern Ireland, putting extra strain on families, workplaces, and frontline healthcare services. Jonny Davies, Managing Director of Emerald Urgent Care, said the clinic has been extremely busy due to the rise in cases. “Flu cases surge every winter, but experts have predicted this could be the worst flu season […]
Visitors to SWAH asked to wear face masks
Visitors to Fermanagh health facilities are being urged to help stop the spread of viruses.
Worst flu outbreak for 15 years has hit Fermanagh
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FERMANAGH is now battling what health officials describe as the most severe outbreak of seasonal influenza since 2010, with cases surging at an unprecedented rate. New figures from the Public Health Authority show flu cases have tripled in just two weeks, rising from 273 to 954. Locally, infection rates in Fermanagh and Omagh have leapt […]
Welcome for introduction of ENT surgery at SWAH
LOCAL families have warmly welcomed the introduction of ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgery at the SWAH. Last week the Western Trust announced ENT day procedure surgery had begun at the Enniskillen hospital. The first six patients had their procedures locally last Tuesday. These procedures will now happen regularly, with consultant ENT surgeon Mr Reddy […]
Fears bird flu could mutate to humans
IT’S an annual disruption for local bird owners every winter, but now news coming from across the ‘Pond’ has raised concerns that avian flu could become a worry for all of us. With the H5N1 virus recently detected in a wild goose near Dungannon, poultry farmers and flock owners in Fermanagh are currently on high alert […]
‘There is going to be a lot of people dying’
DURING the recent public meeting of ‘Save Our Acute Services’, Fr Brian D’Arcy read out an emotional letter from a patient who was too ill to be there on the night. “I had half my bowl removed three years ago in SWAH, it saved my life, I was in theatre for eight hours and in […]
Hospitals in ‘crisis’ as flu cases surge
By Niamh McGovern AN emergency health meeting was convened yesterday (Tuesday) after health officials declared that Northern Ireland’s hospitals were in ‘crisis’ due to rising flu cases and the recent cold weather. The surge in winter viruses has exacerbated already severe pressures, with hundreds of people waiting over 12 hours in hospital emergency departments across […]
Campaigners urge locals to attend meeting on SWAH
HEALTH campaigners are encouraging residents to attend a Department of Health meeting in Omagh this week, which is being promoted as ‘helping to shape the health future of the area for years to come’. The Department of Health recently announced that the deadline for its consultation, ‘Hospitals – Creating a Network for Better Outcomes’, has […]
Fermanagh healthcare staff under ‘relentless pressure’
By Niamh McGovern AS flu cases continue to rise across Fermanagh, healthcare staff are preparing for another challenging period. At South West Acute Hospital (SWAH), staff have resumed wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) to safeguard themselves against infections as they work to manage the high volume of patients. Andy McKane, a long-time NHS worker and […]
Winter pressures mount on Fermanagh health service
By Niamh McGovern THE Western Trust continues to face severe pressures on services this winter, with ‘full escalation of beds on all wards and departments’. On Sunday, the Trust recorded 286 attendances across Altnagelvin Hospital and South West Acute Hospital (SWAH), with 86 patients waiting for a bed and 163 waiting in the Emergency Department. […]