Possible ninth swine flu death in NI
Tuesday, 3 November 2009 19:00The Nortehrn Ireland Department of Health says it is unable to confirm a report that a ninth person has died in Northern Ireland after contracting swine flu.
A child with special needs from Co Antrim is reported to be the latest person to die and the fifth child with special needs.
Two girls, Ashleigh Lynch and Orla O'Kane, from Foyleview Special School in Derry died last month within a week of each other.
Following the girls' deaths, some school principals called for teachers in special schools to be included in the first wave of vaccinations and that has since been introduced.
More than 2,500 children in over 20 special schools for severe learning disability across Northern Ireland were offered the vaccine as a matter of urgency.
The NI Department of Health says, in line with policy, it will only be updating the public in a weekly bulletin about the extent of swine flu cases.
